Nothing is static and some depends on the situation.

@Carol VenoliaPick yourself up, brush off the knees and get back to it!  

hi @Adam Eckhoff - if I'm in your shoes I would attend a couple of local investor meetups to really brush shoulders with and speak to other investors and vendors in the space. 

I live in an area with very large incomes, and low house prices compared to the rest of the country - there's dozens of cities and towns in Canada like this, so don't paint the market with a broad brush. 

The one thing I will do to my units to make them more attractive to tenants is I will spend a little bit extra to put in slightly (but not extravagantly) nicer finishes ... things like brushed nickle hardware instead of brass or chrome, laminate floors instead of carpets, etc. and keep my units in good condition ... therefore, even if I charge market rent it is a good deal since my units have slightly nicer finishes ... if I take pride in my units and they are in good locations, then I find it will attract quality tenants who will also take care of my units, and no they do not leave when I raise rents up to the max the market will bear.

Also, I didnt factor in the income from my airbnb or the current house hack It's important to keep in mind that DTI is not a static figure. 

You can use a brush, but you really need a HPLV detail sprayer.

Take your time, buy nice brushes and go for a 14 inch roller and this is fairly easy to do. 

I used to use roll on, brush on stuff, but it was hit or miss.

My survey is 7 years old and we cannot locate the stakes even after cutting all brush back.