He has done little things like painting and big projects like converting a storage room to a studio apartment.

Just ordered it on Amazon right now.

That can be a strategy.However, if you look at the way rents move here in NYC, if you buy a cash flow property that does not move up in cash flow the way your NYC rents will, you might find yourself in a losing position over the years.As an example, a building I bought in the year 2000 had 2 studios that rented for $500.

Also make a list on your Amazon cart to have the TP, soaps, coffee, cream, and sugar packets etc. to come on regular bases.

Chk Lowes or Amazon on gas wall heaters.

Dallas named top contender for Amazon’s new headquarters

Its an interesting discussion, though, as Zillow might be in a position to be the "Amazon" of real estate industry if it had access to the data it needed to generate accurate algorithms.

Amazon has many reviews but it's the Verified Purchase ones that hold weight. 

They were small studios or 1-bedroom units, which tended to attract a younger crowd in general.

I also like to load up a cart on Amazon or Home Depot with all the materials that I need to cover, eg. appliances, flooring, fixtures, so you can nail these figures down.I forgot backsplash