Of course it will show MUCH better with fresh paint, but does that translate to dollars and quick sale?

Even if service is horrible in your particular location, that doesn't always translate into a "need." 

You can use the HELOC for your down payments - translated - if you're buying 100k properties and you have a 100k line of credit and need 10% down, you can buy ten properties :) with your line of credit.If you already have properties ear marked for purchase and/or have them under contract, you may want to get the HELOC in the same month as you begin applying for mortgages for credit inquiry purposes.

You are right, economic turmoil of any kind translates into lost income to some extend, but let's break it down. 

A text is more personal but still a lot can be lost in translation in a text.

NNN lease with national companies usually translates to safer investments (everything has risk) but low returns.

For $20000 that translate into $400000.

But it does happen with immigrants who do not speak English and are reliant on third parties to translate and sign things for them.

So while the "standard" American translates "preservation" as something akin to putting $ in jars and burying em out back, "elite wealth" translates Preservation into a action, growth, consolidation, they are doers. 

Assuming you hire an accountant, they will translate the total expense to an annual depreciated amount.