And, past performance is no guarantee of future results. 

This is purely anecdotal, but I've noticed that the top performing properties in my area lead with an exterior shot.

Wishing - betting death on your tenants?

Put together a spreadsheet and compare the performance of the subject property if you keep renting it as is for the next 10 or 20 years versus if you rehab and refinance.

Honestly, upgrading to a commercial-grade stackable setup like Speed Queen or Maytag might be your best bet.

They can serve the initial notice to vacate but the actual court filing needs to come from you as the owner or through an attorney.Given you're out of state, working with a local eviction attorney is definitely your best bet here.

I would say for most people, the 1st position heloc is no a good bet, especially if you have a 1st mortgage rate of less than 5%.Using this strategy with a 2nd position heloc can be just as powerful, so you can have your cake and eat it too!

   #4 Is great and I bet this one can lead to many successful closed deals. 

We've gotten that advice from an old timer in the trades, but Chicago is notoriously know for lagging with issuing permits and performing inspections.  

Tossed around quite a bit and it isn't what it once was, but the value is still very high based on past performance and brand recognition.