Brian it just depends on the tenants.I do small increases but not too large.If the tenant has lived their awhile I have to weigh going up 20 bucks a month for 240 extra a year versus them moving,losing a months worth of rent (840) and then putting about 1,000 or more in new carpet paint and repairs.So at 240 extra a year it would take me about 9 years to recoup that money on the unit.It also depends on if you plan holding it that long or not.In my area tenants are barely getting by and lay-offs are happening every month to some.I think right now at least for my area isn't the time to push rent increases strong.I know what you are saying about landlords not increasing the rent for years and years.Some just want full and not deal with the headache anymore.They would rather have full and paying than charge higher rates and have more turnover and struggling from the tenants and more accounting to keep up with at multiple payments per month to pay the total rent.I believe as long as you are close to market rent but under by just a little you are not losing that much.It also depends on how cheap you bought the property.Some buy really cheap and cash flow like a monster because they purchased so low even though below market rents.

If you got to pick and choose, that would be the opposite of a "Fair" Market Value.

I spent my summers painting and cleaning apartments - we lived in a college town, so there was alot of turnover in the summer months.

Now, I know how banks choose their listing agent/office/broker, they look (by maps, google, all means..) for offices within a certain distance from the property, and ask for a broker's price oppinion (BPO) from each of them, and choose the one gives the highest BPO.

Most units remodeled but the complex needs to be painted, landscaped, etc.

Now I have another course to choose from out of three from the initial package, but I'm thinking two subjects are enough for me for now.

I wasn't cornered into real estate and would never question reasons people choose what they choose.

Banks have so many underwater and bad mortgages that they have to pick and choose which properties are worth paying the taxes on.

I would have 1 year leases but was trying to say when one moved out, I would go down there to clean up, paint, etc. and use it to stay there while I get it rent ready again.

If you consider it you should require they pay 4 months in advance.This will cover them paying the first months rent,time to immediately evict them if they violate a provision in the lease,and cover paint and carpet again.If they violate the lease for any reason all the money paid upfront is NON-REFUNDABLE.Don't just stick a tenant in there to put one in.Make them meet extra security demands or wait on a better tenant to come along.You have to make a tenant like that have a bunch of "skin" in the game.They may or may not have reformed themselves and if they have they should not mind putting extra down.