If you are doing a rehab for a flip these places will come out and take older stuff if it is still functional, I just did this for a kitchen on a flip and it cost me 0$ to strip the kitchen and bathrooms and I can deduct the value of the cabinets as a charitable contrabution.If you need used appliances they resell the stuff they take out of the flipper kitchens.For new cabinets we have a place calle Builder Material Outlet in Phoenix that has amazing prices and Cabinets, Granite, Doors and Windows.For appliances we shop a local store that we have built up a relationship with.

This is an attempt to shift costs onto the previous tenant for work which was already contracted for granite countertop replacement."

The house was in pretty good shape - fresh paint and carpet, new kitchen with granite counter tops, and new windows. 

Small investment of some granite/quartz counter top (not all, just a portion of if if you can) goes a long ways.  

Even in my last house which is in a C- area, I have kitchen with granite counter tops!

Tenants need functionality, if they need granite and a travertine backsplash, then they should buy a home of their own.

In others it means the granite counters were ripped out and replaced with quartz.The key is finding out what your target renter expects and what they will pay more for.

It's not going to say to put in granite countertops or to paint with a particular color scheme.You need to create your own SOW. 

I find that students (or their parents) are willing to pay top dollar for things like granite, SS appliances, tiled flooring, etc.  

So I should replace kitchens in my 800 dollar rentals with custom cabinets, granite and viking appliances cause thats what i have in my home?!