Is this something you also take into consideration or are you talking about replacements at the start of the deal in the rehab stage?

After getting staging set and pictures taken, landscaping completed, we listed the property around March 5th, right at the beginning of the spring selling season.

Staging is very important. 

Always stage Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

Newbie here - No deals under my belt yet, I'm still in the education/learning phase (though, I guess you never really do leave that stage). 

Looking to purchase my first rental property and am in the education / research stages of this great adventure.

Sure wait until it's completely empty, cleaned & 'staged' then show it.

I have seen engineers because elementary teachers, scientists become marketers, and finance professionals become restaurant owners.

On the inside, consider hiring a property staging company to add key pieces of furniture if that is in your budget.Be Realistic on Price PointHouse flippers often get caught up in the amount of money they have put into the house, as well as the highest comp, and end up pricing themselves right out of the market.

If you really aren’t comfortable doing it yourself, no problem.. figure out all the materials needed to buy them yourself and have them staged then pay someone by the hour who can do it in an hour.