Also another wonderful book is “How to get to yes”   Both of these books helped me negotiate my way thru some really challenging situations.  

What I have found from all of the str groups I am in, is that the more room/toys your rental has, the more damage renters will do.

For one we would never cut out someone who brings us a deal… There was a old fable called the goose that lays the golden eggs.....We want to continue receiving golden eggs :-)Bluck

They were also not picking up their dog's waste in the yard, and would leave things like toys and plywood all over the yard and driveway.In about March or April, they came to us and said that they were working on a rent to own situation with a family member that was purchasing a home and that they might need to break their lease early to move in there.

It's usually mattresses, broken furniture, junk kid toys, old clothing and hangars, etc.

Toys on the floor isn't going to devalue the place.Every appraiser is different in what they look for.

The notification when a reply is posted is defaulted to yes, and must be unchecked in order to not receive it.We do have a search, but it can definitely be improved. 

The question is really, "How long do I to work at it before I have what I think are the aspirational toys and lifestyle of a millionaire?"

So that is good (and helpful)... but the tendency is for your spending to increase as your income goes up... new car, toys, trips, bigger personal house, etc., so a big part of your plan is how well you can control your impulses and stick to a long term plan. 

So, there's an idea I've been toying with for a few months now.