But with that comes more expenses, more insurance, more turnover, more cleaning services (I live 3 hours away) - so much more to deal with. 

In addition, providing preventative maintenance reminders to owners (gutter clean outs, HVAC tune-ups) is good management.

If I only had more available cash when prices were low i could have cleaned up.No matter what you need to make sure you are not over leveraged.

Only feedback the agent has given us is that we needed to clean the backyard, which was a whole project and that was at the beginning of us hiring her 3 months ago.

Yard work, cleaning, painting, mowing, etc though were paid. 

And far less pleasant, safe, and clean jobs as well.2.

@Kent Kiess the downside is if you do borrow your own $$ You instantly reduced your death benefit your lived ones receive 2nd the amount of insurance your loved ones get is drastically less vs if you bought term.Question would you ever pay an extra 200 a month on your auto ins if it had a savings account mixed in confusing the real amounts and cost of your insurance.Keep it clean and separated.

Then they periodically (perhaps weekly or bi-weekly) walk around the yard to clean up the poop.

For example, tell them if they are out within 30 days and no bad-mouthing or harassing you, then you will refund 100% of the deposit the second they turn in the keys and you will handle cleaning the unit for them.

at a bare minimum, new paint and carpet/plank everywhere and changing out all the cabinet hardware, electrical covers, fresh light fixtures, etc. will make things look fresh and clean.