For example, what if you decided to paint the interior dark green, which is largely unacceptable to the tenant segment normally attracted to your property?

G'Day Matt,You can only do so much with online research.IMO the online stats and demographics often times don't paint the correct picture.This especially tends to be the case for tertiary markets.Finding folks on the ground that "live and breath" the market is your key to success.Those folks on the ground are the one's that bring the "online stats and demographics" to life per se.They will know more accurately what's going on in their local market pretty much on a daily basis.I've always said that you can research online and find a market that has the best growth and cashflow potential.Find a property for a great price and on a great street and in a great area.But if your property manager or contractor are incompetent or cheats.You will loose money.So start with finding the right people first before finding the right market or deal.Just my opinion.Thanks 

A couple only needed minor things (ie painting), another needed a lot of work. 

I find that I don’t spend much less time cleaning, but rather I have a cleaner house.I have thought about trying to develop a painting robot, which could paint the inside or outside of your house.

An INVESTOR does not repair appliances, does not unclog toilets, does not paint walls, clean units, OWNER OPERATORS do those things, Business Owners/Operators do those things, NOT INVESTORS. 

If it is paint, inside, perhaps but even then they pay rent and you pay them for the work they do.

She gave me a very vague list of work completed with numbers ("dent to woodwork $," "Paint, $," "Hardwood scratched $" etc), but I cannot match any work done in the house with the list.

Like painting the old kitchen cabinets vs replacing them, or providing them with a small refrigerator instead of a decent standard size one.

Get electrical connected (electrician)4) Do any cleaning , painting , etc needed to get it rent ready4) Get a tenant!

It's a 1/1 with two car garage on a half acre composed of two Tax lots.