I know what kind of crap you have to endure owning those properties and what kind of headaches they have.The low price pulls people in but many times it's not what they thought it was.

And I am already enduring quite a bit of delay.... 

@Robert Taylor If it gives you any solace, our property tax rate is comparable to what you endure in Milwaukee, and our property prices are 2-3 times what you find on the western shore of Lake Michigan {@Dawn Anastasi has been subjected to my grousing about this before}... yet your rents are 75% of what we can expect for a similar offering.

(My guess is the age of the equipment/lines, connections.)I have learned that if it's going to fail it will always be the most inconvenient time, under the most inclement weather conditions & you are usually away on vacation.Another reason I take the hit & switch out old furnaces, HW tanks & upgrade elect panels.good luck...

I will not increase the rents on the current tenants if they decide to stay and endure the renovations for a period of at least 1 year.

It requires courage, patience, and endurance.

Study hard and hope you endure a little luck on your way.

Then I will imagine myself having the joy and satisfaction of enduring trials and persisting even when the obstacles were too high to jump over."

Having been through the 16 - 19% rates of the early 1980s, I know the current environment of low rates may not endure ... if it does, we have larger issues around stagnation.  

Candles get pretty hot near their end, that's probably the hottest they've endured.