There are terrific incentives for home owners but they don't translate to us which is very strange and probably political. 

Im also from NY (Queens) so some of the dollar amounts for labor don't translate to or market but may very well be somewhat accurate when translating to the Buffalo market.

"Sick and tired" may well translate to drug use.You can get test kits for only a few bucks.

That 3% can translate to just 1.5% if you have 2 years to repay the balance.

Being very good in HS does not translate....hard lesson. 

Less material needing to be ordered equals less garbage and translates to an environmentally greener building process.

Because after a blanket statement like yours above, the truth translates to : They don't...so they won't...so they can't....and Rehab, how can you make the assumption that 'future dollars' is not savings, especially with people who simply will never get out of debt due to the refinance pain every 3-5 years we are trained to do now?

With a new tennat you never show flexibility that translates directly into the appearance of weakness.

Given you are someone that comes down hard on people all the time in wholesaling discussions about putting in BS clauses to get out of contracts (at least there IS a clause) or negotiating more with the seller when they can't sell it for the agreed price I'd think that would translate into other contracts as well.Of course the common sense approach is that, as these crappy tenants realize, there isn't much that can be done if they move.  

Spending money to replace or upgrade existing services that are functioning and will not directly translate into a rent increase is not fiscally wise operation in this business.