In no particular order, off the top of my head: landlord-friendly laws, no rent control, population trends, total population in the metro (I won't invest in super small metro areas/towns), unemployment rate trends, vacancy rate trends, income trends, rent trends, economic trends for the metro, weather (as it pertains to potential expenses - i.e., I don't have to worry about clearing snow from a parking lot in Scottsdale AZ), purchase price, expected ROI, how fast you can evict, insurance rates, and property taxes. 

Remember you don't have to own a property to control it.

I Want control on who is living there and the metrics I use to screen them but the best return on my investment and reduce overturn and damage to property. 

Now, forgive my ignorance when I ask: are there any strategies to your knowledge where a wholesaler CAN close / control the property without his own money?

This can be an attorney's dream, the operating agreement will be more involved, a trust can be a member of an LLC or an LLC may be in trust, any corporate ego can be an affiliate, subsidiary or controlling entity of another.

Remember you don't have to own a property to control it.

With multi's, you can control NOI, and control your property value. 

Remember you don't have to own a property to control it.

Do you just buy all cash, say 2-4 houses, or do you leverage with mortgage debt and try to expand the assets you will control?  

In many cases, the child will have the ability to own and control legal title title upon reaching majority at age 18.