If you are talking many years, then that's easy - take your personal items and put them in storage (or bring them with you), and accept that the rest of the house is just walls and floors and as long as the tenant doesn't burn the house down or cut down all your landscaping, everything else was going to wear out anyway whether you or a tenant was there, and when you put your personal effects back in and repaint, it's just like home again.

(Plan to repaint outside) Brings $1100 a month When I had 100% occupancy, it brought $4000.

Walls Remove/treatmildew (per surface) $15.00 Repairholeinwall $55.00 Repaint(perwall/ceiling) $30.00 Doors Replacedoor(inside) $165.00 Replacedoor(outside) $485.00 Electrical Replacelightbulb $3.00 Replacelightfixtureglobe $20.00 Replacelightfixture $65.00 Replaceelectricaloutlet/switch $15.00 Replaceelectricalcoverplate $2.00 Plumbing Replacekitchenfaucet $150.00 Replacebathroomfaucet $105.00 Replacefaucethandle $20.00 Replacefaucetaerator $10.50 Replaceshowerhead $27.00 Replacetoilet $175.00 Replace toilet seat $25.00 Locks Replacekey(doorormailbox) $10.00 Replacecylindricaldoorlock $35.00 Replacedeadboltlock $25.00 WindowsandWindowCoverings Replacewindowpane(sgl) $75.00 Replacewindowpane(dbl) $125.00 Replaceminiblind $20.00 Rescreenwindowscreen $25.00 Replace window screen and frame $50.00 Miscellaneous Replacerefrigeratorshelf $25.00 Replacestove/ovenknob $20.00 Replaceplasticcountertop $275.00 Replacemirror $45.00 Replacemedicinecabinet $75.00 Replacetowelbar $25.00 Replaceshowercurtainrod $25.00 Replace shower curtain & rings $13.00 Replaceshower/tubenclosure $350.00 Replacethermostat $80.00 Replacefireextinguisher $30.00 Removejunkanddebris (per area) $35.00 Replacesmokedetector $15.00 Replacecombodetector/alarm $40.00 Replace alarm battery(perbattery) $2.00 Replace drop ceiling tile $10.00 Replace wireless doorbell $35.00 Actual charges may vary based on condition and/or vendor bill.

For my units, the main issue is whether I need to re-paint and/or replace the carpet. 

We repainted, changed out the art, replaced a couch and had it photographed anew.

I had to repaint the majority of my house before renting it out, but I had plenty of free time and I was waiting on some appliances anyway so no hurry. 

We had someone stay for a year, and we had to repaint the whole house, touch up trim everywhere, fix a few broken windows. 

Repairs, repainting, shampoo the carpets, etc. 

The most expensive item on the list was repainting the interior. 

Definitely repaint.