For instance, a bedroom that is at the end of a hallway, and which doesn't share walls with any other bedrooms or common areas provides a lot more privacy than a room that shares a wall with a common bathroom, a second wall with another bedroom, and a third wall with a common area...a house that has 3 stories with only 1 bedroom on each story might provide more privacy than a house where all 3 bedrooms are on the same floor ....extra privacy usually results in less likelihood of disputes between housemates about issues like noise, messiness, etc....If you plan to rehab the property, sometimes, it's possible to re-configure the floorplan of a house in ways that create more privacy for each bedroom, add bathrooms, add separate entrances, and generally make the property more appealing for rent-by-the-room tenants.

When a tenant calls to contest charges, I allow them to speak their peace, then I tell them I will send them instructions for filing an appeal.

If the margin is too similar to a long term rental, then I'd personally pass and find a more appealing market.  

If investing and residing in a small multi-family in either of these markets appeals to you BUTyou still can't get all the down payment or other money together(or you'd like to spread the responsibility and risk with a partner with different expertise),we should talk.I'll be in Phoenix in August and Vegas in October (and again late January-early Feb.) and am open to exploring such arrangements.

I do both rentals and rehabs, and can tell you 100% that carpet, no matter how clean you get it, will lower the appeal and the income potential of your property.

Make sure that furnishings fit the guests you are trying to appeal to.

I have done some research in several markets across the country that look appealing.  

I invest ins smaller condos - 1 BRs and it appeals to a mass market.

The assessor’s office said they can do an ‘informal review’ at the end of the year to see if they can decrease it for next year, or my other option is to formally appeal. 

For instance, you could agree to cancel some of their outstanding debts, and/or you could make it clear that their security deposit will be withheld if they don't leave under your terms, and/or make it clear you will file a lawsuit to recover the money they owe you if they don't meet your conditions, and/or get a collection agency involved, and/or you can make it clear there will be an eviction for non-compliance with the contract (among many other methods)...I would also suggest reading up on cash for keys, and seeing whether that strategy could work...talk to the tenant to get an understanding of why they are staying, what things would prevent them from leaving, what things would incentivize them to leave, etc.  ...ultimately, you need to create a new agreement (in a new contract), where the option of leaving and abiding by the terms of your new contract is MUCH more appealing to the tenant than the option of staying and/or violating the terms of your new contract.