I had it completely furnished and was robbed the first week of owning it and they took everything, even my paper towels and thermostat off the wall.

I've had to replace the gas controal valve/thermostat on the hot water tank once, and I have a spare. 

If the landlord insulates, replaces windows, installs smart thermostats, and installs an energy efficient heating system the increase in value might well allow for a refi as long as the rents still support the new loan.

A few things I can think of at the top of my head is to:1) Add leasing fee for additional occupants;2) Offer landscaping services for a fee;3) Allow for pets and charge pet rent (as long as you have durable materials in home to avoid faster wear and tear);4) Update hardware in kitchen;5) Change old light fixtures - make sure you have good light in the home;6) Update doorknobs;7) Repaint front door; and8) Add outlets with USB ports.I have heard some people mentioning that adding a smart thermostat can help increase rents - anyone have first hand experience?

My salon had the only thermostat in the entire building.

Maybe sell or lease the land if you don't want to put more rentals on it.Use a wifi water heater and thermostats to save on utilities when no one is there.Market your place on Facebook, Vrbo, Craigslist etc to boost your occupancy rate.

If you’re providing all utilities included, ensure you have remote energy monitoring or a thermostat that artificially caps the temps and gives you regular updates on energy and water usage.

This is common so the PM company doesn’t float a broken toilet and new thermostats etc.

Interestingly,  have noticed that I have to teach most tenants in lower rent homes how to use the thermostat and what to expect from the unit.

House only has one hvac and one thermostat upstairs . ( I did hear the fruitful investor on BP YouTube say in some of his he leaves it with one HVAC) but how does that work?