I would update your lease to include fines after an initial warning about leaving trash or personal items in the common space.I wouldn't allow tenants to mail in the rent.I allow them to deposit directly into my account, ACH or Zelle.Maybe get extra trash cans so that they don't have to leave their bagged trash by a full can.

Lot of what ifs that vary from traditional landlord-tenant law

One option would be Roth conversion and another via Internal Revenue Code §72(t)(1): https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesfinancecouncil/2018/03/26/plan-to-retire-early-how-to-make-it-work-with-traditional-retirement-funds/#1d25986d16df

.- Increasing Demand Across Age Cohorts: Boomers downsizing coupled with a growing number of Americans who can no longer afford to rent or own traditional housing continues to drive demand for MHC - see chart below.- Limited Supply: Only 10 new MHC sites have been approved in the U.S. over the last two decades - see chart below.- Downcycle Outperformance: MHC is the least sensitive property type to negative changes in GDP - the average stay in in MHC is 13 years, unheard of in residential real estate - resulting in stable predicatble cash flow with an ability to consistently, yet responsible increase rents.Lastly, a quick glance at some MHC investors and proponents:Warren Buffett is a significant investor in the MHC space, favoring the sector for its stable, predictable cash flow.

For the items being stored they had to pay $500 a month until the items were removed.

Do you have an itemized list for how they charge you?

So, at least that added some value but It was another high cost item to fix.  

Though one item peaking our interest in real estate is the fact that we bought in 2013 for 199k (bank owned) and are looking at selling north of $340k.

Worst case is you get nothing.I'm not a lawyer and this is not legal advice, but here are some reactions to what you stated in your post:If you can prove you actually paid the yard guy, and the landlord can't prove he did, you have a good argument on that line item. 

itemize all deductionssend an invoice in writinginclude whatever balance is owed back to them, if anybill for anything still owed to you