I am not seeking to charge each tenant, only seeking to remotely monitor each buildings water usage to identify costly waste/problems early as possible.

I was charged a year’s membership. 

Why don’t you find another spot and I won’t charge you breaking the lease.”

As Sean Wagner mentioned, the city of Chicago has adopted their own regulations on charging what's commonly referred to as a "security deposit" you need to do it another way. 

I think the charge is fairly nominal from what I have seen.

Setting up an LLC and accessing 50k+ in business credit is a simple process that protects your personal finances and positions you to scale faster.

You can always charge an air and surface scrubbing fee from their security deposit after they've moved out. 

In my area they are charging $200 for inspections and $50 for cleaning.

When offers come in, prioritize pre-approved or cash buyers for a faster closing process, negotiating where needed to maximize your profit.Finally, conduct a post-sale analysis to evaluate your financials, noting how actual costs, timelines, and profits compared to your initial projections.

HELOCs let you access equity as needed, keeping costs low unless you use the funds.Key considerations: If you plan to scale quickly, the HELOC might provide the liquidity you need for faster moves.