If the first violation is in January and the second is in August, I would say enough time has passed that we could count the second violation as a fresh-start first violation.

I would make sure your bedroom count is the same, and baths within a half bath.

Are you saying they don't count if you can't find the bodies?  

(prorating utilities by tenant head count for instance). 

It’s similar to how apartment listings are grouped by bedroom count and price.

Check the section 8 checklist and be sure you will pass (do you have a lead cert if you need one, do all your bedrooms count as bedrooms, anything weird about the house that won't pass inspection? 

In hindsight, this probably wasn't the right way to look at this, but we were counting on the cash flow from the rentals to offset some of the mortgage payments on our current home.

So I'd be doing my best to get the highest possible rent/revenue but without needing or counting on that.What you refer as cut-throat competition exists in every market where you have demand.

To answer your question though, yes home improvement and marketing counts.

I agree that it likely doesn't count for concessions.