I know I can do this by hunting and pecking on Zillow and looking at the mortage payment estimate vs the Rental "Zestimate", but it's time consuming and doesn't surface opportunities at a high level. 

Lets say rock surface. 

. - Cabinets & quartz counters were from Pius in seattle; they have good pricing, a good showroom and are fairly quick to turn around- cabinets are the 'grey shaker' for the kitchen, 36 inches tall was the right size for our 94 inch ceilings to give us cabinets that go all the way to the ceiling; and 'white shaker' for the bathroom vanity; same counter on both- floors are laminate from costco; "harmonics camden oak"; I they're 8mm thick, 6 inch wide and 48 inch long and have a pre-attached pad; great texture on the surface and solid quality feel; would definitely buy again- kitchen backsplash was from home depot online (couldnt find subway I liked both the look and price of in store) called "jeffrey court classic brick" in 2inch x 4inch size for $2.89/ft- appliances were the entry level samsung stainless, with a counter dept fridge- cabinet handles and faucet were from amazon; cabinet handles are brand "Probrico" in the 5 inch size.

As an example, we have considered breaking down Repairs & Maintenance into sub-categories like "Interior Surfaces" or "Plumbing" and then further breaking those down into sub-sub-categories like "Wear and Tear" vs "Damage" vs "Outside Influence."

To extend their lifespan I sealed every surface with polyurethane.

@Eric Upchurch I would argue that your statement on the surface is correct but overlooks the potential in the market. 

When moisture is evaporating up though the slab and ultimately through your grout joints you'll get water soluble minerals that are left behind on the surface of the grout, its called "efflorescence", and yes, its very hard to clean.The only ways to avoid this is to check the subfloor with a moisture meter to be sure it's completely dry or installing a vapor barrier over the slab prior to tile. 

If you have hard surfaces it's not as bad.

Curious what peoples opinions are of investing in good areas with less return vs less nice areas with better return.On the surface this is true.

Just keep in mind that real estate agents or others are not trained in financial law or regulation beyond skimming the surface, whatever.