You might still have to be the one to create any edging trench around the planting beds, but that is not repeated more than once a year from my experience so not as much of a hassle time-wise for you.And you have to get them to understand that good housekeeping on the tenant's part will not only help to control expenses, but also give them better consideration at lease renewal time ...

Knowing the area sufficiently well to estimate this accurately would be my number one concern in estimating future returns... as they could severely affect returns.If you haven't heard of the 50% rule, this would also be good to research: basically advises that 50% of rents will go to operating costs over the long term (this excludes financing).Best of luck

If you continue to use the same contractor and develop a relationship with him and he knows that when he looks and bids thing the work will come, the details will follow and probably some repeat discounts.  

@Brie Schmidt I intend to purchase this property in my name only, so how would getting married (as we plan to do eventually) affect my options?

Thomas(or anyone) - would you mind telling me the "language" in the agreement that states something to that affect? 

After spending money fixing up a property, I obviously want to make sure the tenants occupying it are not damaging or tearing anything up....whether accidentally or deliberately......or worse still, using my property as a front for some shady illegal activity    (take your pick on that one....the illegal activity that is).I also want to make sure I am on top of the stuff that will break down due to normal wear and tear and stuff that needs regular maintenance.I also want to make sure the tenants are doing their part in up keeping the property as necessary....mowing lawns, shoveling snow from sidewalks and generally maintaining a reasonably clean interior and exterior for their own good and mine.If and when the tenants do tear something up, or something breaks down due to no fault of their own, unless it adversely affects their daily routine, I would think that they most likely would not report it.

With water, you only have one shut-off valve at the curb, so if one tenant doesn't pay the water company shut things off at the curb - affecting both. 

Does anyone have any "statistics" (doesn't have to be audited) on the call rate and quality generated from 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. mailings to the same list?

Then I repeat the process over and over.

While I doubt they'd send you to the pokey for illegally renting an RV on airbnb (unless there was a grave injury or some other high profile badness on the premises), Orinda seems like the sort of place where people care quite a bit how their neighbors' actions affect their property values.