My PM quoted me $4,311 for get ready, which includes new renter-grade carpet/pads, interior painting, deep cleaning.  

When you run your expenses on properties be sure you're accounting for vacancy, accounting, advertising, cleaning, insurance, lawn care/snow removal, legal, management, maintenance/repairs, cap exp., taxes, utilities (water/sewer, electric, gas, oil, trash, etc).  

LIFE-CHANGING ACTIONS here.STEP 1-20.You need to get you personal home rent-ready... not overboard updating, just rentable... clean and painted etc.Fix any leak faucets, loose doorknobs etc NOW, so that when your PERFECT tenant moves in, they won't be calling you to fix those.Put in new 5 Year Lithium Battery (write the date installed ON THE OUTER SHELL) of SMOKE DETECTORS (draw faint red stripes across the front outer shell of smoke detectors-- red means fire or smoke-- when the smoke clears (if the house didn't burn down) it's ok to reset the smoke detector and finish cooking dinner.ON CO DETECTORS (draw faint gray stripes across the front outer shell of a CO--teach your tenant the gray stripes mean DEATH-- if that alarm EVER starts beeping, they are to immediately raise windows , open doors and call you---even if its 2am--- A REPAIR MUST BE MADE or people can DIE-- little children and elderly go first

They want to easily sell that mortgage after you close, so they want a squeaky clean deal.

Has anyone tried marketing to leads using their email addresses vs mail campaigns.....assuming you get access to clean and verified emails.

If you provide a nice clean rental at a fair price you should get several good applicants.

The backyard is literally a clean slate after you account for cleanup.  

I'm a newbie also, and like you, find it cathartic folding clean laundry...and even washing dishes.

also, I added, Animals/Fish will not be cleaned on the property. 

Plus cleaning fees, and pet fees.