I will put in new cabinets (lillyann cabinets), appliances, and granite or marble counters.A new roof will be going on.New interior doors (bought online, pre-hung at $39/door, basic 6 panel)New windows - cheapest bid so far for labor and materials is $6200 (including a large patio door, that is the most expensive) we are doing them to code, so that adds a cost.Popcorn ceiling removal, a lot of drywall patchesNew light fixtures, outlets, switches, updating some outlets to GFCInew baseboards (.70/linear foot at home depot)new plumbing fixturesplumb for dishwasherpaint interior and exteriortile on floor in bathrooms yard cleanupBasic landscapingDespite the "starter home" I will have the property fully staged.

(notice a pattern here?)  

@Matt Marble I am not familiar with Michigan tax sale laws.

(I haven't aggressively looked for "deals" but from what I've seen for the average joe that doesn't plan to spend 10k on postcards, such as myself.)I was looking at job growth/diversity, running numbers, looking at charts, patterns, etc. and thought, heck I should ask people on here.

@Dan KelleyI would assume some of your worry may be state specific, but what I've learned in KS is that if you have a well written lease, and follow the letter of the law, ie the full payment of rent has not been received by the date outlined in the lease, serve/hang the 3 day notice and do not have a pattern of accepting late or partial payments etc, then even if they did make a partial payment there really should be no issue to worry about.  

I would put a marble or ball on the floor and see if it rolls in different directions on the concrete.  

If the initial scoring is middle of the road, put it in a holding pattern and concentrate on the strongest applicants.  

I spoke to some other owners and they have been seeing similar patterns.

They spend about every other weekend at the house now year round, so they are familiar with the weather patterns and comfortable enough being there then. 

I do see the bad pattern of behavior HELOC after HELOC and credit cards galore for shopping from the old days.