I wonder if it would have been better to open the wall between the stove/microwave and the dining room and then add an island parallel with the sink and make a large open kitchen dining area.

House has 1bd/1bd, LvRm, Dining Room, unfinished basement used for storage.

It also looks like the kitchen/dining are is very nice for a rental, so I don't think you need to do a whole lot to update the entire house just to turn around and rent it.

i do have other miscellaneous expenses every month of course, such as gasoline, groceries, and dining out, but i'm pretty thrifty overall.

@Scott Schuetz -- Looks like you knocked out the top half of the wall between the kitchen and dining room.

Nice little strip of dining and shopping.   

The responsibility for ADA upgrades usually follows how the lease is written and has the tenant done tenant improvements that alter the accessibility i.e. counter tops, bathroom vanities, doors, dining room walkways. 

With the $$, I repainted the whole house ($3-4), fixed the cracked kitchen floor tile (2k), removed a living room/dining room wall and built a granite bar island with rolling trash storage (2k), built another br out of a den (1k), insulated (2k), bought washer/dryer/fridge/microwave like new off craigslist ($1.5k) and furnished the common areas with basics (sofa, tv, desk) and some rooms (twin bed, dresser - also CL).

Dining room tables, accent chairs etc.

For example, room sizes are going to be extra important to your strategy, while having a dining room will be less important.