This is a general response, naming attributes, based on your post and what I would want personally:-Monitored, police response -motion sensors in appropriate areas-cameras both indoor (public areas)  & outdoors - motion activated, records to cloud, holds for minimum 48 hours, w/ audio capability-remote light switch control-remote alarm mode settings : on, off, at home-remote lock / unlock entrance-remote doorbell camera (service, delivery interaction)-temperature & flood sensors around appropiate areas-alert capability (various) set for your concerns-ample exterior motion dection led lighting, some solar powered lights that illuminate all night-phone app that you are comfortable usingThere are more attributes I would want but I'll stop here. 

If you go to an area and see a ton of great attributes, dirt cheap prices, solid schools, solid rents/tenant stock, close to public transit/desirable areas, whatever...why wouldn't you jump on that?

I most of my worst tenants were early on and I attribute this to not knowing what to do, how to handle the situation, or what to look for in both a tenant or a house. 

This means you may need to wait until the utility can determine the amount attributed to the outgoing tenant.

i attribute the dramatic increases in prices of items to this idea and utter acceptance of "credit".

Our 2bd, 2bath townhouse is a great place, but doesn't stand out in a crowded vacation rental market, we use homeaway and vrbo.

I tried to come up with ways I could stand out so I offered a year up front.

I would not attribute it to your gender; I suspect a male would have gotten the same bill.For your conditions, the bill seems reasonable (except the fire alarm installations).Good luck

However when I went to the public meeting about the issue the homeowners, while understandably annoyed and upset, are already attributing all kinds of mystery illnesses to this, which I believe to be bogus.Anyway, I have already told the tenants in the one occupied rental and they are cooperative and did not freak out or get upset about this.

I love the site, but search is absolutely awful, making it just as annoying when someone scolds someone new for not having done a search first.I agree that the BP search isn't always a wonderful thing to use.That said, read my post in this thread that explains how to search and track things on the BP forums:http://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/50/topics/12495--quot-subject-to-quot-question-informing-the-lenderThat post was so good that some blogger posted it nearly verbatim on his own site (without full attribution)!