Initial cleaning fee if needed (may do it myself if possible)5.

Even if you want to invest a year from now, cleaning up your money is the most important thing to do.

I own a Cleaning & Handyman company in Nashville and we service this area. 

It also makes cleaning easier, as you don't get that layer of nastiness where the sink meets the counter.But, if this is a low end, low rent type area, probably best to do it as cheap as possible.  

The tenants are reasonably clean, so no issue with trash or critters. 

Even if the area is cleaned up, I wouldn't purchase any rental real estate in Kensington, Fishtown or Northern Liberties for a few years.

I also recommend including some move-out instructions for cleaning, how to turn in keys, when they will get the deposit back, etc. 

I'm hoping that my finances are much better at this time next year and continue to improve as the economy gets cleaned up, with the right person at the helm. 

I would use cleaning services but it's my understanding I could use more than one company over the course of the year to limit how many hours one company spends on it.I'm looking into a utilitarian STR more for business travelers, so this won't be one where everything is perfect, it's bound to accumulate wear and tear I think.The STR would be out of state, but I plan to travel there for probably two weeks a year where I would perform many repairs myself.

In accordance with the lease agreement, the property shall be fully vacated, cleaned, and returned in the same show quality condition upon move-in.