Anything special to look out for aside of the obvious damage to the lining / walls, plumbing?

We dressed them up with a few cans of primer and paint, new Broan range hoods from Amazon ($80), new cabinet hardware and they look amazing.  

Does an occasional mopping really do damage?  

Something to keep in mind with STR, that's tied to why REI is a smart game to play - control is the name of the game.You want to control the guests and rates (vet them in hopes of avoiding property damage, set rates to attract those willing to pay more for quality)You want to control the costs (furnishings, consumables, cleaning/repair/plumbing/electrical)You want to control the property (choice of property, location, financing terms, well or city water, septic or city sewer, etc)This is all going to be very hard to do, if not impossible, if you don't OWN THE PROPERTY. 

You just need to learn to minimize the risk of it happening, and minimize the damage once you recognize its happening.

We actually couldn't get at certain areas to assess the actual damage done by the wisteria that hadn't been pruned in at least 4 years but it was getting behind trim and under the roof shingles up high as an example.

Current condition - Badly damaged and very boxy layoutThanks Much

If you have the dish removed and the damage repaired, what could the tenant do based on an argument that he lacked notice?

The tenants we received in these properties would usually only stay for 1 year max and always left a total mess and damage when they left.

Some leaky faucets , slow drains , a broken window , a broken screen door, missing damaged facia , Eve's and saufet .wood decay around front door , a ceiling fan that doesn't work , ac with water filling drain pan , crack in garage ceiling , 1 cracked floor tile, 1 double tapped breaker , and a missing attic inspection cover .