Our contractor had been in the unit every few months, to fix the dryer, to change the A/C filter, etc.The tenants were from the Sudan and had decorated the place like a casbah....tapestries hanging on the walls, heavy carpets, tons of knick knacks.

I love character, lush landscaping, walkability with park and trails with the lake and golf course.

CMG Financial offers this product and if you want to hire a consultant I recommend Michael Lush of Replace Your Mortgage https://replaceyourmortgage.com/home-equity-line-o...If you have a decent credit score & enough equity in the property this could be an amazing option to consider!

It might seem inconsequential, but it makes a difference when renters are scanning through tons of options and want a home that stands out as lush and inviting.  

Below are some generalizations about locations and ongoing maintenance costs: Older properties require more maintenance than newer properties.Composition roofs require more maintenance than tile roofs.Properties in climates with hard freezes require more maintenance than properties in milder climates.Properties in locations with a lot of moisture require more maintenance than properties in dryer climates.Wood siding requires more maintenance than aluminum or stucco siding.Properties with lush vegetation require more maintenance than properties with little or no vegetation.SummaryWith hold times in the 10+ year range, you need to think of the location long term.

Tapestry by ESRI is one that I like, in regards to demographics. 

As such, having granite countertops, higher end carpet, multi paint colors, lush landscaping, new kicthen appliances (stainless steel), mirror sliding closet doors, ceiling fans, recess lighting, etc. all cost money but get high returns in my area.One other note: Because I complete higher end quality rehabs, my time on market before accepted offer averages under 14 days!

Another poster about a year ago mentioned ESRI Tapestry, and that site is a great way of checking the major populations in your local ZIP codes.  

i actually love the planter and if you stage the house you should have some lush plants in there. that thing is cool!

If the deal is still good based on #3, we do our DUE DILIGENCE which in turn comprises of auditing the financial information related to the building (we look at bank statements, tax returns, copies of utility bills, etc), inspecting the building (we inspect all the units, inspect the mechanicals and structural components of the building), and assessing the potential of the location (we talk to city officials if we don't know the area, we walk the neighborhood, we order a Tapestry Report, we look at building permits, talk to builders to assess what new builds cost and how much rents they can get). #4 is the longest part of the underwriting process and it's where we make the FINAL DECISION whether we will proceed with the deal or not (or RENEGOTIATE the price/terms).