For you to qualify for an FHA loan your living area has to be habitable.

Marketing is the vital part of this job.

We do not rent units with utilities included {students are not always careful with their energy consumption habits}, but we do provide a single payee option where the student tenants prepay their utilities through us each month along with their rent.  

I have a habit of keeping track of everything in my head and I know that as my portfolio increases this will not be a viable option.  

Even if they do clean up to your satisfaction it will be easy for them to slip back into old habits.

Those numbers work for me.But again, you can't find properties like that today.Most folks doing DLBA properties now are local Detroiters that are doing exactly what you said... learning how to renovate on a budget and simply getting the home habitable.

Infrastructure and location are the two most vital aspects to consider. 

You are ultimately responsible for providing a safe, habitable unit, so you or your representative should be inspecting it at each turnover to ensure that.  

If the place is generally habitable notwithstanding the modest improvements being made I think you can make an effective "in service" argument.

But....even if Bienes was investing on a regular basis, I would ward against getting into a habit of leaving $1000 on the table (if rightfully owed).But anyway....Bienes, if this is a RESPA issue, why are you considering suing the Real Estate company?