📝 Below are specific systems & processes I have used for managing my long term rental portfolio in the Omaha, Nebraska market:Zillow & Apartments.com to list properties for rent & receive applicationsPre screening prospects with a few baseline questions before scheduling showings to weed out non qualified parties & tire kickersApartments.com (previously Cozy) for management platform, receiving rental payments, & accountingInputting expenses for each property each month Separate bank account for holding tenant depositsEscrowing insurance & property taxes in monthly paymentLockbox to allow contractors access during rehabHVAC maintenance contract for service twice a yearGutter cleaning company scheduled once a yearLeave on agreements with utility companies for all propertiesAutomatic late fees applied after rent due dateInforming tenants to email all non emergency repair requests & include images if possibleContacting contractor about a needed repair & having them get in touch with the tenant directly for schedulingPaying contractors promptly and thanking them for their good serviceMailing 2 tenant tip letters a year incorporating visuals for various items such as winter preventative maintenance, what not to flush down the toilet, reminder to clean lint trap from dryer, etc.

You might be flushing money at the duplex.

If you are absolutely flush with cash and want to chase the highest returns, you might be better off looking at a completely different asset class. 

I am planning on sending a HVAC person just to be sure and ask him to take the temp readings to validate functioning of the AC.The other laundry list items has been -A door that will not lock completely - changed the door.Toilet flush handle that was not working completely - got that fixed.3 squeaky closet doors - got them oiled.Window blinds that lets too much light in - told them to get their own blinds.This is all alone in last 30 days.l, before that there were no issues.

Most items said we would address the issue and were simple fixes (e.g. trim trees, fill in cracks, address door binding to close flush, etc.). 

This is the simplest method, but it also means your tenants are more likely to abuse the utilities by leaving windows open with the heat or A/C running, leaving lights on, ignoring the toilet that constantly flushes on its own, etc.3.

Something like this flush mount in white would give a nod to the decade of the house while elevate all the bedrooms without having to change much else.

We recently explained "courtesy flush" to our 8 year old. 

I’ve moved beyond them for most part, although still have 3, but I still keep an eye and if cash flush and can’t find other properties I still buy there because they rent easy, are profitable and require almost no work to be honest. 

No one has ever told us no.We arrive at the house at least 30 minutes before the appraiser to make sure everything is clean and all the lights are on, the window shades open fully, everything smells nice, all toilets are flushed and closed, not dog waste anywhere.