At a very minimum buy your own crummy router instead of paying for theirs over again every year.you can also try adjusting the wifi to use a different channel. search the app store / play store on your phone for wifi analyzer. connect your phone to the wifi analyzer and it will show you the relative strength of your network compared to others in the area causing interference.

Some folks here have talked about buying big box store cabinets and finishing them with durable stuff.

It's a get way store money for retirement and forget about it.

(oh, there is a secret 3rd option we are looking at - a store does have 100ft of our old flooring which is about 10 or 20 feet short, so we could intermix that flooring with another brown to at least have most of a match. the other, non-matching floor would be intermixed throughout the room.

That is the location, the areas economy, the price you get,  first impression, the nearby amenities and retail stores, the demand in that area for rentals, and the price you get. 

If you are buying a window unit you may not find them in stores now.

The books in the BP store are excellent - Brandon's book on Low and No Money Down, Anson's book on Finding and Funding Great Deals, and J.

Some resources I would suggest:Read Brandon Turner's book on rental property investing https://www.biggerpockets.com/store/rental-investing-digitalListen to the BP Real Estate podcast https://www.biggerpockets.com/podcastListen to the BP money podcast https://www.biggerpockets.com/moneyshowAttend local REI events https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/521-events-and-happeningsStart analyzing deals to get practice and check out the  BP calculatorsKeep interacting and engaging with others on the BiggerPockets forumsAll the best,

I have shoped home depot, Menards, and a few other department stores, but have consistently bought appliances for about $40 to $120 cheaper from Sears.

Getting a special and start off with low down payment is not as good as you think but if the  the location is important as a consideration, the demand for what you buy property and tenant screening, it's in  growth area, is it located within a diverse area, the parking that is available, do you have deep enough pocket if funds are needed, Do nearby amenities exist, is there any nearby retail stores and what are they and does it fit your ideal tenant, and are there any existing tenants.