I'm told that fridges are not worth repairing and to just replace them if they stop functioning.

My 3 largest lead generation sources for new investors are:1.

Check out some of Immanuel and my other posts for details backing this up but suffice to say Notre Dame is working with SB to bring in high tech industries, there is a new power plant going in south of town, it still has great manufacturing including trailer construction, it is on the intersection of 2 busy highways 80 & 31, and it is less than 2 hours from downtown Chicago which is one of the largest inland ports in the world.

Exterior paint and roofing would be the largest. 

My inspector suggested I insulate the crawl space of the home as it is where the furnace is located; however, it is an older (but functional) unit that will eventually be moved to the attic once it dies.

You can automate rent collection and other functions as well. 

No one knows; it's a function of interest rates and local market conditions.

You add no value by needlessly locking up a property that has already hit the largest buyer's list on the planet.  

Home of the worlds largest marine base and Joshua Tree National Park.

I will speak to prospects in NC by giving you information based on my experience in Charlotte, the largest city in NC by population.