Job included inside work of leveling floors, installing flooring, paint walls, kitchen cabinets, etc in both units, as well as lay a new driveway, fence the back yard, provide attic fans, and install electric to the crawlspace to add lights and a sump pump.

It was high rent, low entry point area but within 6 months I dealt with an eviction and electrical issues.

For example, it's difficult to appease a situation if 1 tenant claims they're using less electric/gas than another. 

@Alecia Loveless is correct--tenants need access 24/7 to their electric service panel, water and heat, assuming those are individual utilities for each unit. 

I currently am a resident here (so distance is non-factor) and I possess some handy skills that could save renovation costs (besides HVAC, structural issues, plumbing, electrical work).

Where I see my clients do really well for their clients is the HVAC is brand new electrical panel new  Roof brand new etc etc.. kind of like those that buy new construction for rentals those folks are paying full retail for those..

I updated the electrical, painted everything, and “cleaned the property up nicely” exterior and interior.

Electric is metered separately from the utility. 

There has never been any sort of lease signed nor has she ever paid anything more than a few electric bills which are next to nothing since he has solar. 

My big bold move was to rent them at $150 month with tenants paying for heat and electric.