I literally drove around for 5 hours up and down each and every block until I found a neighborhood that looked decent. 

Did you pick the right colors?

I'm out of state and wanting to PM my property but meeting applicants and showing the place is posing a stumbling block.

Often you are better off just diverting the water away from the house with a splash block.

I recently cosigned a 600k mortgage to get my mother into a home a couple blocks away from me so I could take care of her as she ages. 

That color scheme is classic-I would not mess with the colors.

Well, I tried to repost, but as it has links and websites Bigger Pockets blocked it.Instead, you can find my personal blog page here on BP - I just posted it there or you can find the MAREI website - its a .org  under the Resources tab look for City Rules and Regulations AND if you know of an update to this list of rules and regs, please let me know.

The best advice I can give you when starting out is to learn your market and know it intimately all the way down to the block street and each house on it as well as costs to do the work.

I know it probably isnt close enough however i am one of only 3 houses on the block.

He is friends with one of the neighbors on the block that knows he is a real estate investor.  2 deals were dealt his way and he bought them both.