So not only is the $1500 pulling down the principle of the slightly higher interest rate loan (not to mention the less interest of the 25 days with $5000 sitting on it), but also my emergency funds for vacancy, repairs, maintenance, taxes, insurance, future vacation funds, and Christmas budget would sit on the HELOC and therefore the principle comes down.  

Not everyone wants to be told they are great and get participation trophies just for trying.

They don't ask for anything, so seem to just want someone to give them a medal for showing up.They love a participation trophy.

How about Christmas lights? 

You also have two major holidays coming in the US (Thanksgiving and Christmas and construction will slow down as people take time off).

Quote from @Travis Timmons: @Jonathan Greene no mention of a participation trophy and not making it seem easy.

(My renovated units are unusually nice at each price point where I compete-- and so far, I have always had multiple applicants that want to rent; even in the dead of winter and right before the Christmas holidays).

. $5,000 was not an amount of money they readily had, and they requested I allow them a couple of months to gather the funds so their kids could have a Christmas.

Border Patrol used their helicopter to do medical removal of many of them to the local hospital.So Christmas Eve we are all upstairs in bed and I hear music. 

I have more pictures of Christmas decorations  but of course some people book months ago for Christmas and Thanksgiving.Since Pogeon Forge is a huge holiday destination we get a couple Christmas pictures up year round.