Volunteer the house as a project for a local high school shop class to come and work on the house, you supply the material they supply the students to do the work. 

We attend the christening or first birthday party if invited.We give gift cards for the Holidays.We help decorate for the Holidays and contribute to community potlucks/BBQs (at our 8-plex).We have a "make it your own home" policy, whereby we give approval for a reasonable modification to the property, such as painting a room, changing out a light fixture, etc.We prepare a "move-in packet" which includes information to orient them to the property (property rules, utility contact information, change of address form, our contact information, etc. ) and also information about the neighborhood, such as a walking/trail map of the local area, chamber of commerce welcome information, a list of nearby amenities (including medical, shopping, restaurants, schools, parks), menus for local pizza delivery services, coupons for local businesses, etc.We prepare a "move-in gift" which consists of a bucket of our favorite cleaning supplies and a reusable shopping bag with starter supplies of paper products, a "Zip-It" hair snare for clearing sink drains, a toilet plunger, a cutting board, approved hanging devices (picture hooks), a door mat and a shoe tray.We supply light bulbs for all permanent light fixtures for the duration of the tenancy, including specialty bulbs for appliances and chandeliers.

Location is obviously key if you are looking at other areas (closeness to station, shopping, schools) etc.In addition, in more rural areas, people tend to rent units for families rather than for single occupants.Last, I hear it is really a nightmare to attract tenants.

A small group of 36 homes one block from the the main promenade area where all festivals, good resturants, farmers market, coffee shops are located.

Ok, I'm just a little bit confused about exactly what insurance I need. After scrounging through the rental property book and online, I think I ingested too much information and need some clarity.So I'm in the process...

Finally, depending on your return strategy and risk spread, different markets is something you may want to consider, for example you may want to spread your eggs beyond your immediate territory to enhance your buyers market experience, I know I may open up a bag of worms with my next statement, but consider turnkey operators in different market to help enhance your buyers market experience.

We have owned pptys many years before a development like this, as well as before other meaningful changes in an area (rezoning, shopping center addition, etc). 

On Friday, they could barely keep up with all the water coming in, and they had 4 shop vacs.They don't know how it is coming in.

It may be a while, but shop and learn.

Like anything else the little guys probably had to take some bigger risks and make some bolder projections, while not having all of the research and back office tools that the larger shops have in order to compete, now unlike the big guys they don't have the cash reserves to cover the overhead.