Houses that are upgraded in our neighborhood command $150+/mo more in rent and sell $40k+ premium over non upgraded homes.We had 2 flooring contractors stop by during our option period and the quotes they gave us I am having trouble with because they are not apples to apples:Vendor 1) 1,300 sqft Engineered hardwood $10k Tile in the bathrooms, kitchen, breakfast nook, laundry (300 sq feet) $3kTub tile surround and 1 shower $2kTotal: $15,000Vendor 2) Labor including demo and install $5k1,300 sqft engineered hardwood $5kTile surround & shower tile $2kKitchen and bath floor tile $2kNow, I can do the math and see that one is cheaper in total.

The appreciation you see around the fort is likely due to the military increasing the size of the cyber command in the area.  

And 36 Other Key Financial Measures http://amzn.to/Zv0ZphFrank also has another book called 10 Commandments for Real Estate Investors that I reread every other month or so as a reminder: http://amzn.to/15ikXL0Ken McElroy has two great books on apartment investments and one on property management:The ABCs of Real Estate Investing: The Secrets of Finding Hidden Profits Most Investors Miss http://amzn.to/HdXVf1The Advanced Guide to Real Estate Investing: How to Identify the Hottest Markets and Secure the Best Deals http://amzn.to/1bcWx50The ABC's of Property Management: What You Need to Know to Maximize Your Money Now http://amzn.to/1d518JKAlso see Ken's BP interview on Podcast 052: Buying Apartment Complexes, etc. here:http://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2014/01/09/bp-podcast-052-raising-millions-ken-mcelroy-rich-dad/I think these are the place to start, but there's many more let me know if you'd like to see more.Good hunting-

Spend some time building some skills that will command a greater income.

@Brent Coombs the property in Chicago is only worth about $45,000 because that’s what the neighborhood is commanding.  

What do you think that area or that zip code would command rent wise?

I know the area (I worked for a number of years at U of Penn, right on the other side of the VA hospital) where your home is located is on the fringe and the homes in and around Kingsessing won't command the selling price that a house located in University City will. 

At first I thought may be it would command more rent because the tenants do not have to share a common wall - more privacy, but the rent history says otherwise.

This allows me to be more selective with tenants, and command a higher rent.  

I don't see how a house in a new subdivision could command a premium over other new builds which are cheaper.