You also want to rely on your govt to treat everyone equally etc. and not to "change the rules"  out of the blue. 

Does your local government treat Landlords fairly?

We were not looking to do flip but we recognized the opportunity to treat the 1 commercial package as 8 residential properties and maximize the value.

Are they treated just like larger multi families and just all bundled together?

Treat it like you are buying a small apartment complex.

It’s key to have dependable housekeeper and I treat mine very well!

If they are not aligned then simply keep looking till you find one that is.I used to own a company that managed almost 1,000 single family homes before I sold it.Below are some questions I would think would be a good starting point for you to see who really treats their company like a business or a hobby.

This varies by agent, but you need to set your own criteria on how you want buyers to treat you. 

How can I improve NOI for these properties with the assumption that they can be treated as commercial properties.

liabilityI cannot tell but they did use 4x4 posts and have them submerged underground so I would imagine there may be concrete poured around the pressure treated post underground.