Hello BP Community,I am a very fresh (starting my research) from Tustin, CA and it would be great to start networking with people, especially with similar interests and goals. 

If the HOA is willing to budget some money for fresh paint on all the exterior buildings, it is value-add and will attract more investors like me.

With this new development (no pun intended) I would love to connect with some builders who might be looking to meet some new agents or bring in some fresh faces. 

.- Ripped up carpets and re-finished the hardwood- Fresh coat of paint- Laminate flooring in the bathroom- Stick on splash for the kitchen sink area- Few other minor repairs- Brand new stainless steel oven (all other appliances stayed the same)After all of this was finished up for about $5,000-$6,000 I was able to rent the unit out for just above market average in my area.

Get a fresh start and take full advantage of the BP members who will help you more than you can imagine at this early point in your career. 

I'm very fresh to the whole real estate world in practice, I'm trying to gain some experience of any kind.

All should be taken into account when investing, but it is risky to be dependent on appreciation alone for an investment.Given what you've said, it sounds like the value of the property should be going up so I would definitely hold onto the place unless you can uncover other opportunities where you strongly believe you'll be able to generate a higher ROI by selling. 

We have seen uncovered storage do very well. 

I've always viewed vacant units, and those units were always freshly cleaned and painted and appliances clean or new with no lingering odors.

I agree its a bit risky, but as we uncovered..there were old tax liens on it which made it not workable.