There are really simple scripts for working your sphere of influence.

Thanks Steven,You will have a hard time finding a lender that will do the refinance.Lenders and appraisers are the main reason why we stopped selling to investors looking to finance.It sucks but I run my business in a way that "If I can't beat it, I have to eliminate it"Appraisers these days are more worried about job security than appraising properties at fair value.They love taking foreclosures into consideration and it's not rare if a property appraisers for less $10,000 or even lower that the asking price.The lender gets to choose the appraiser at their own discretion so there is nothing we can do about disputing the appraisal even tho we can prove with independent appraisers that the banks appraiser is a gronk (Spent $3,000 once on 3 different appraisals just to prove a point to the bank and they still dismissed it).Plus, we are not in the business of influencing appraisers or having exclusive arrangements with lenders just to pump up the numbers.If we wanted to do that, we would be able to 10x our sales but that would be doing something that is against our core beliefs.End of rant hahaMuch success

I don't maintain any illusion that the important factors begin and end with the Census data and the BLS data and the price trend.But I am totally inexperienced with RE investing, and I have no idea how to consider and weight the influence of the "soft" factors.

Also, would having/not having a patio or deck influence what I could rent the house for?

With large margins (high ratios), shifts in external factors will have a smaller influence on the profitability of the business.In other words, it's the ratios that are most likely to indicate the long-term success of the business at continuing to generate profits in the face of real world situations.You're a landlord, right? 

We're perpetually on the lookout for the most competent vendors to partner with, as they significantly influence our turnaround times.

I wouldn't count on it being better, regardless of what you try to make up to make your numbers work.Instead of starting a new thread to get influence, try reading one of the stickies in the landlord forum.

Also, I would use a minimum post count or influence so people do not join BP just to raid the file vault.

I recommend the book "How To Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie.  

This person is related to me and our SOI sphere of influence has a few of the same people in it.