We used to do pet deposits, but now we collect a one-time "pet fee" upfront that is designated for damage repair and cleaning on the back end. 

I used to be in marketing and my wife is an interior designer (freelance). 

Zoning change and a lot of design an lobbying.

I'd say some things to focus on renovations $$$ are the kitchen, living area, bathroom, design, and photos. 

Regarding gaming as a major, does that mean designing/producing games?

Alot depends on material choice and design complexity. 

Go to Etsy and search for "rental property tracker," and you will find hundreds of nice spreadsheets to track 10-20 rentals, usually for under $10.Software has extremely helpful features like online payments, marketing syndication (click a button, and your property is advertised on multiple sites), electronic document review/signing, maintenance tracking, and owner reports.

Once the investor enters the life expectancy of the capital expenses, financing, short term financing, rehab costs, turn costs, maintenance, and expected sale or rental revenue, the property management features will project the cashflow, equity, and profitability.

Designed to prevent the ground from shifting.

Although it's expensive, it effectively keeps us top of mind with our sellers and buyers, providing features like email open rate tracking and call recording.