Quote from @Nathan Harden: Quote from @Bob Stevens: Quote from @Benjamin Sulka: Hey BP, I'm looking to get active in the Cleveland/near Cleveland markets this year and I'm interested in networking with other local investors. 

Quote from @Nathan Harden: Well, you're in one of the hottest investing markets in the country at the moment.

I’d get these tenants out, though, then clean the place up cosmetically, make it as hardened and tenant-proof as possible then get better tenants at market rent (or slightly under to reduce turnover).

Whichever way you go you do limit pool- but it’s your property and depends on how hardened it is against damage.

You'll find really good tips here on hardening your rentals, and you'll find it better to just paint all in one color to make it cheaper and easier for future touch-ups.  

You'd never expect the hardened investor insider.

Worst contractors are used and they will do the bare minimum. save your money. do a solid rehab up front to harden rental and find a good handyman for in between.

They get no tax benefits aside from the same benefits they'd get if they were visiting (eg being allowed to drive around and be protected from violence and crime.. )  Unfortunately I don't have the persuasive skills to make anyone consider the more nuanced reality of this situation and to see them as ordinary people (who in turn can be completely ordinary tenants), I am just writing this to note that not every hardened old landlord thinks this way, and I think its shameful and sad.   

You're the guy whose hand they're grasping to stay out of the abyss.I think you'd really be surprised how much the most hardened police officers and child welfare caseworkers will typically respect the difference between a responsible landlord of low-cost properties and a slumlord. 

I am pretty cut and dry when it comes to the rules (never used to be that way, but life lessons have hardened me a little).