We always give ourselves a few days to get the place cleaned and change locks, etc. between tenants.

ANd to also add fuel to the fire, the Fed government recently inflicted a country-wide policy that any potential borrowers need to qualify for their locked in interest rate, plus 2%, this was put in place to cool the runaway RE prices in certain parts of the country, namely Toronto and Vancouver. 

Only problem I see with the doorknobs is that they don't lock.

It is possible to retrofit an apartment with a smart lock, video doorbell, smart thermostat, voice and app controlled lights, smart interconnected smoke alarms etc.,  How much rent premium will your tenants pay?

We would fill in a 3/4 wall and add a deadbolt lock door to separate the two spaces, leaving the first half with the 3 secondary bedrooms and 2 bathrooms with the kitchen, family room, and laundry, with a garage door entrance. 

Is the thread locked?

OK, Sorin, lock me up and throw away the key.

Do we bite the bullet now and lock in or ride it for another year?

Rob K,Only once, where I did not follow through with the contract and EMD.After that one time, to save the agents time, he now gives me the code, to get into the lock box.

She resisted this device for a couple years (none of the as-seen-on-TV things are very good in real life), but then a relative gave her one and she tried it out.