The mortgage was paid off in 1980, by then the value of the property rose to $250K.

Thanks for sharing some real terms that aren't all roses for 30 years.I refinanced the heck out of everything in 2012 in the 3s and a couple last fall.

Even S8 tenants don't seem to destroy tile, and you can have the same tile in place for 20 years if you put in a nice neutral color.

A lot of what you read are going to be rosy colored puff pieces, but you are looking for the business climate itself. 

Frat boys will run amok, families will tear down your walls, old couples will "forget" to pay you for months on end and random people will paint your walls with oil paints in colors that children would find revolting.Screen people, take the max security deposit and make sure you are protected from damages in every way you and your lawyer can think of.

Then in the two weeks following, called several times about what she needed, wanted bars on windows because the place is on the first floor, called a day or two later, said the place needed an alarm system, then called to say wanted the kitchen painted another color.

Reach out to @violet rose

We did a 'light tan color' it may have faded a little but I can't really tell you for sure.  

Try a "cool" front door color to make your front entry more attractive/different, and add some inexpensive landscape improvements, like mulch, to boost the curb appeal.Godspeed!

I can't stop and smell the rose.