We have already put on a new roof ($9,900), new fence + block windows ($2,400), new windows ($3,900), and new back stairs/porch ($2,700).  

The reason I posted this topic is that one of my tenants who had been great for 2 years and signed an early termination letter and paid two months of the remaining lease,  suddenly lost his mind or something and trashed the place when he left, plus decided not to move out on the last day just to be a jerk.  

If you look good to the mortgage broker have them write a letter on your behalf saying that if you apply for mortgage in 12 months chances are very good that you would get a mortgage as long as you keep your job and protect your creditNo that is not a mortgage qualification letter, but it should satisfy the ownerNext, I would get references from my previous landlords that you were an ideal tenant.

We've decided to not go heavy on the absentee owners, because they've been done to death and are probably receiving 10 letters per week.  

I'm also helping a couple of investors buy properties in that area as well.The SW side can be very tricky because the character of the neighborhoods can change within a few blocks of each other.

Otherwise you can look into mailing and opening up the conversation via letter and lead to phone then to a personal meeting.

Knocked on the door many times and left them letters in the mail trying to be as polite as possible about the situation.

It certainly isn't 1) get a mailing list; 2) send out letters; 3) the money just rolls in. 

Area average is 750 on rentometer and my brother gets 700 for his units a few blocks away.  

@William Kyle Walker  again don't know the context but I have been around a few blocks a few times.. and if I have seen people flame out in RE its robbing peter to pay paul.. its slippery slope that once you get behind many times you can't recover and it just gets worse and depending on the situation here IE you have investor it can move to a criminal type thing..