It is absolutely possible to do well in this business, but it takes a lot of up-front work, hustle and some capital: to find the right properties, close the leases, finance the deposits and furniture, furnish the properties, bring in the bookings, get the ratings and then do it all again with the next unit.

They left some clothes and junk behind, moved and damaged furniture, trash everywhere, and even a tire in the family room.

The properties are gorgeous with amazing furniture and space.

And again, the (leveraged) wealthy benefit from it, while relatively untouched by a couple hundred dollars more for gas and food.There is a wealth gap,  I'm not sure it's creating (very much) ((social)) tension.I'm guessing the middle earners (because they really are not Middle Class by American standards of a few decades ago), W2 Wage slaves living paycheck to paycheck, more resent the people on Welfare who they work to support,than the wealthy--who they have almost zero contact with, other than in certain service jobs.Culturally there seems to be a bigger divide between the welfare's and the W2's than between Welafare's or the W2's and the High Income/High Net Worth individuals, who also use mortgages and make payments on cars and furniture.Just more expensive homes, cars and furniture than your standard paycheck to paycheck W2 Wage Slave.I think the divide is between the Welfare Class and the so-called Middle class who supports them with their IRS tax payments.But in reality I think there is not much animosity between any groups, that is not stirred up by the media.Most people treat me decently, no matter what their group--and I do my best to treat them decently as well.Of course there will always be those who are jealous, or Hate for other reasons, but most people have it pretty good as far as getting what they want.And there is no way to fix jealousy or Hatred--it's been with us since time forever.As far as the W2's and the welfare's, there needs are met, and no one is standing in their way of getting more other than their own inability to motivate themselves to do more to get more.The one's who get the bad end of the stick ore the Homeless People--that's a tough life, poor devils.Just My 2 Cents. 

Do you provide essentials in the common areas such as furniture, dishes, etc?

There was no furniture whatsoever, so I have now constructed and installed the kitchen and apartment furniture.

It's amazing how nice a lot of the hardware that is used in cheap flat-pack particle board furniture often is.

Find good quality used furniture. 

It took about a month to accumulate enough furniture and appliances (slept 9). 

We weren't able to negotiate them down any further but we did negotiate for some maintenance to be completed and furniture to be left, since we were furnishing it as a vacation rental anyway.How did you finance this deal?