In CA you can only deduct for rent, damage, cleaning or personal property (like keys or furniture):http://www.dca.ca.gov/publications/landlordbook/se...You also can't have a separate deposit for utilities. 

I have always smelled cats but assumed/hoped the smell was in their furniture.

. ($30)  At move-in we also loan the tenant the use of drop cloth runners (to protect the flooring on move-in day), furniture moving blankets, furniture sliders, furniture lifting straps, a step stool, and a picture hanging tool kit (with small hammer and picture hooks). 

You not only have Toyota and Nebraska Furniture, but it's an easy drive to the new State Farm HQ, planned Raytheon expansion, and generally all of the Telecom Cooridor players & planned expansion.  

Kitchen cabinets, countertops, furniture and others.

You furnish the common area in the basics and they bring their bedroom furniture.  

Any costs because of that flood such as furniture damaged can be covered by the tenants' insurance. 

They left furniture, clothes, trash- everything – which we paid to have hauled away.

They had rugs, toys or furniture covering up every stain.

Going forward it will help if you know the (C-) lifestyle and "Culture" for the area you are renting out.Buy here--pay here vehicles, Rent-to-own furniture (at best), friends and family with "Records" (not the vinyl kind), Dead junk vehicles awaiting some never to happen repair, financial tightness and sometimes irresponsibility, rely on friends and family for help, etc, etc, etc...If you know and understand your "Customer" it will be easier to make money from them, than if you expect them to behave and have the same level of lifestyle and financial responsibility as B+ renters.In other words, don't expect a Camel to have no humps, and don't expect it to be a horse.Just my 2 cents.