If it costs a little extra money to do it, then I would say it's worth it for the diligence perspective. 

Usefulness might be regional due to the income limits; it's based on 2010 census data, as a consequence something like 85% of Oakland is "no income limit."

My typical path through a property is going around outside, then down into the basement, and then up through the house slowly with extra time spent in the kitchens and bathrooms.An agent or wholesaler intent on selling you the property, however, will often have a pre-planned route through it that points out its strongest features first, and only then proceed to the weaker features and major problems.You acquire the kind of reading skills you're talking about, and to a great degree, only over time and with experience.

I added an extra $5 into the cleaning fee to cover it, but some guests bring more cars.

I personally tell all my police officers friends to do this because it is an extra way to make money without doing all the work, just need to send the name, phone number, email address and if possible mailing address.

NYC Principal Brokers have to pay a LOT in fees and there are potentially 5 different MLS's.The MLS with the most desirable Listings has a Principal Broker Dues of $1,650 and that doesn't even include the software to access the Data on their MLS!

This damage set us back an extra $1,000.

You still have several options, depending on if you want to invest directly in individual properties or be a bit more removed:Full-service turnkey investment: Should be mostly passive after you do your due diligence and pick a provider, but don't skimp on your homeworkYou choose which props to purchase, but have no control over tenanting choices, some say in large maintenance expensesAvg cost for solid B/B+ prop in Birmingham (and some other markets but this is the one I have data for, since it's my market) is about $100k per door; you'll pay market price for a tenant-ready, fully rehabbed propertyPartnering with someone who does the on-the-ground stuff while you provide capitalCan be passive if your partner really knows their stuff, but more likely you'd be fairly involved with the choices madeMore control since you call the shots with your partnerYou can pick which markets and price points you're interested inPotential for higher returns (ie buying distressed and then forcing equity through renovation) if your partner is experienced and can execute consistentlyInvesting in a syndicateMany investors pool funds to invest in much bigger projects like commercial space or large MFRs, or in larger portfoliosVery passive, investors are not responsible for project vetting or management, but you have no controlMay have higher bar for entry, some syndicates require large investments and you'll need to have liquid cash on handBuying shares in a REITLike an ETF but comprised of real estate investmentsVery passive, but no control over which assets are held in the fundHighly liquid, easy to buy and trade, lower bar for entryEverything is a trade-off between passivity and control, time and money.

Each county has a website that keeps track of real estate data.

They are two different data sets.