The doweling is loose and spins freely.

@Corey Edmonds  Spinning wheels is indeed frustrating.  

(eg: you self-managed and just suddenly woke up with 100 tenants. wew...)Another spin to the question: What's the ROI work for all the work they're doing?

I'm using a Nikon 5300 with a full frame fisheye lens for the spins, and a standards 18-55mm lens for the stills.

They bounced around from 5.5% to 6.5% for a couple years before rising well above 6% in 2005...then it took the housing collapse and operation spin from the fed to push them back below 6% at then end of 2008 where they continued their downward trend to the low 3's.Even where they are today is historically low.

If they are living the payment life then it takes money to keep the mess spinning before they go under.

You need one that SPINS!

As to some of your specific points, I don't really care if the meter is spinning (I can replace a main line for $800), I don't care if mice have chewed through wires (an electrician is $50/hour), I don't care if there are plumbing leaks (my plumber works for $50/hour), etc. -- I'm always conservative in my estimates, so if $2-3K worth of unexpected stuff comes up later, I've built in the padding in the budget.As for bigger stuff like a compressor being bad? 

In an appreciating market like ours, I will take it off your hand so fast that it makes your head spin.

In some parts of the country, yes, the meter will spin backwards, but in most parts, the utilities have caught up with this, and aren't playing ball anymore.