Looking at pure spreadsheet math and common convention; if you pay down your mortgage you are effectively making that interest rate on your money. 

I don’t even let my tenants take care of our pools.

Hello Michelle, In order to qualify for a Heloc you will need to qualify just like you would when applying for a regular conventional loan.

Here in SoCal I am very high on Chula Vista, Bonita and SDSU in general especially with the conventional center under construction.

Screens on the roof, not approved for installation. There’s four across the roof
—Hi all, I am going through an interesting experience with one of the properties I own and could use some advice.
One of the propertie...

Second since I am a property owner myself and also own a PM company I try to look at it from different angles.If the tenant wants things fixed it many times means that they plan to stay in the property and since they are picky they tend to take care of the home more.

They don't care about the cash-flow, The write-off's are profitable and there looking at the out-sized equitable gains. 

There is near-zero value add.Your manager failed you because they didn't care to understand the problem or to follow up on the *right* solution.

Otherwise, all of the comments I read when I did spot checks seemed appropriate even if they're not conventional suggestions.

Take care!