(A mystery postcard from no one from no where that magically landed at my mailbox!?!?!)

The cash flow in and out on these properties is a bit of a mystery to me so it's hard to determine if or how much I should leverage and if my other rentals would have to float all or some of the expenses until I get a big payday with a harvest. 

This one caught me so off guard I had to think how to answer it.Applicant on the phone: "I saw your ad and I just wanted to ask you, and I am not racist or anything but are there black guys in the building I am a tiny white girl".I started to think could this be some "mystery renter" from NAACP or whatever?

The mystery was how did the man get into the noose.

All great insights already here Winn, but if you are able to oversee the painting, there are some ways to help with this often unavoidable turn over expense....For example, this time insist on some high end paint (think specialty paint store or the very best big box stuff); try a pearl or washable finish; I like one color for all the interior of all my units, ideally a white that can hide some imperfections (know and keep the code); this means no color or matching mystery later; then on the next turn over, see if you can't get away with just a wall cleaning; use a damp sponge mop with tsp or a tsp substitute  (and then rinse it with a clean water and a damp sponge mop)..not too much water, just damp.. 

There was no requirement for the owner to do anything as far as the results from the inspection.It would be like buying a brown paper bag mystery grab-bag to buy property without inspecting it.  

I keep forgetting to update this post - the mystery smells was......the stove!

NO mystery there.

I write a mystery series set around a dog kennel, and I'm a total research geek to boot--not to mention having learned a great deal from the BP forums! 

So, there's no mystery to that risk here.