I assume Vegas is just as hot as your part of Texas and an expensive ac unit is $6k.

The hot markets for STRs last month are different from the month before.We are dissecting the info.

From a guest experience perspective, in the summer months it gets hot in Pittsburgh and window units is not the best experience.I couldn't get insurance with knob-and-tube wiring, so that was required.

We had a minor flood from a 100 year rain storm that caused damage to our furnace which meant no hot water for showers to 4 units.

Here is a breakdown: Queen bed frame: $400 - $700 High-quality mattress: $500 - $9,000 Pillows (2-4 per bed): $40 - $120 Linens (sheets, duvet, comforter): $150 - $300 Blanket: $50 - $75 1 Bedside tables: $40 - $150 1 Lamps/lighting: $40 - $75 Art decor (2 pieces): $100 - $275 Bathroom towel racks, dispensers and soap racks: $100 - $200 Makeup mirror: $20 - $80 Hair dryer: $20 - $60 5x7 rug: $75 - $250 Small vase with plant: $20 - $50 3-ft decorative tree: $50 - $150 Two window curtains (with rods): $80 - $150 55-inch TV: $375 - $500Total cost per bedroom will range from $2,320 - $3,545 

Maybe the market is hot enough that you could still turn a profit selling as is, but typically, sellers will ask you to take care of them before closing AND likely pay less for the property simply because there are known defects.

Waynesboro has been hot for a couple years. 

I would definitely invest in a pool heating system OR get a hot tub.

The HOA bill comes with advantages for this population because it also usually comes with some amenities like a pool, hot tub, gym, etc.

Hot water is usually separated it is just the cold water that is often not.For a very large building a flat fee is the move because the back billing and tracking of who paid for what would be hectic, but for a small MF like a duplex it is very easy.I split the bill by the fractional amount of people who live in the unit.In other words, the amount of people that live in the unit divided by the total amount of people living in the builidng.So if there are 3 people upstairs and 2 people downstairs.the upstairs pays 3/5 of the bill, and downstairs pays 2/5.No need to separate anything, you know the tenants will cover 100% of the bill and this approach is fair.