When rates are too low investors will not make loans because the risk outweighs the return or reward.

But in my state the benefits appear to outweigh the losses from what I hear.

You can do almost anything without technology, you will just be much slower at doing it.You could always move 100lbs of rocks from point A to point B by carrying them, it just became a lot more efficient with the invention of the wheel.You could always catch a fish using your bare hands, it just became a lot more efficient with the invention of the fishing pole/net.You could always have a conversation with anyone in the world, it just became a lot more efficient with the invention of the telephone.And you could always track the performance of your properties, it just became a lot more efficient with the invention of things like Excel and Quickbooks.So if technology increases the speed at which you can perform a task, then in REI that means using it will get you some return on your investment sooner; as long as the time/cost to learn/use that technology doesn't outweigh the added efficiency.

I made profit on the other 2 that far out-weighed it.

So maybe my long-term maintenance costs out weigh some of the higher rents I get.

The hml rate will outweigh the cost of refinancing very quickly.

If you have a premium ultimate rewards card you can transfer these points to that UR account which effectively doubles their value (similar to the AMEX membership rewards points) so it's almost like you're earning 10% in those utility categories and 2% on everything else.IMO the flexibility of membership rewards and Chase Ultimate rewards far outweighs actual cash back because with a little bit of effort you can get a lot more back in redemption. 

These homes boast so much history, that we fall in love with that, but the "integrity" and the cost to maintain that, may outweigh the lower cost.

Once you start networking with more investors, you'll realize that there are plenty of very happy landlords and plenty of very unhappy landlords, and what separates the happy ones from the unhappy ones is generally within your control (for the most part).Approach investing with the right mentality, the right amount of due diligence and preparation and the right amount of effort, and you'll find that the happy times far outweigh the unhappy times.Good luck!

On the water heaters, I've never done maintenance and think the cost of draining the tank to get sediment out outweighs the implied life extension it brings.