I have searched high and low for services (Doorstead, Craigslist) but it seems no one is offering that level of service, or if they do I don't trust they can deliver considering my specific needs (experience with potential section 8 type community) in an increasingly gentrifying part of town.

You might need to improve the attractiveness of your listing. 

This increases the property's value and can allow you to charge higher rent, improving your cash flow and the property's appraisal value for refinancing.Rent: Lease out the newly acquired and rehabbed properties, preferably to reliable tenants similar to the family you currently have in your townhouse.

It just increases your exposure.Not sure how you do NOT have an insurance policy and still have a mortgage...We've got plenty of threads, pretty much daily, about the LLC question...  

I know there has been some recent lower end apartment complexes in the area that have been bought and refaced which has helped change the look of the area but there is many duplex style homes scattered on Century 21st Dr along with Ivey Rd that increase foot traffic in the area.

Debt increases risk AND reward.

For instance, spend $10k on a kitchen remodel, increase your value by $8.5k (or whatever, but it's always less than the expense).I figure I must be missing something, because BiggerPockets is full of investors talking about their contractors, etc.

Fees (including points) are obvious, but lenders also can (and usually do) bump the rate a wee bit to make a "yield-spread premium" or "back-points" on the deal to further increase their profit. 

@Brenden Corder I'm form NC, Lake Lure is beautiful, but Maggie Valley will be more centrally located to more tourist attractions, and Maggie Valley is nice too.

Will the HOA be increasing or have special assessments in the next 2-5 years?