We took the reverse action and started lowering asking rents until they moved.I suspect the reason that one property of yours turned quickly is because your asking rent was very favorable vs. local competition. 

I would say high-quality bedding, cozy outdoor spaces with firepits or seating, and thoughtful touches like local coffee bar setups.

These malls took out Mom/Pop local stores. 

I can't give away all my locales but it's not hard to find them if you search around and ask people.

Not sure what your local law requires, you'll want to check on that.

Binghamton was recently recognized as one of the fastest-rising markets for local home prices.

But again, dedicated crews drive reno costs down.If you can connect with a flipper in your area (quick out your local REIG) and ask to come along when they scope out a job, you will get more from one or two trips than from a dozen books. 

If your local municipality has an online court records, go to their website and look up both criminal and civil histories.

You will also need to check your local laws for any strict laws that may make running an Airbnb hard.

The best way to find an investor friendly broker is at a RE meetup, but you can also just ask around in your local network or google.