But fair warning: the market was a lot slower paced and it was a whole strategy.

Hi Rigo,If you are unsure what materials you are going to be using you can have the contractor exclude the 'finish materials' (tile, paint, plumbing fixtures, light fixtures) and include just the 'rough materials' (studs, drywall, wiring, piping, etc.) and installation of the 'finish materials'.In this scenario, you will be responsible for purchasing and delivering all of the materials for the project, so it's added responsibility for you, but it will give you an opportunity to figure out what materials you are using on the project.I have a Scope of Work example in my file place which will show you the level of detail & verbiage you need to include in your SOW:https://www.biggerpockets.com/files/user/drobertson/file/sample-contractors-scope-of-work-documents

This is the simplest method, but it also means your tenants are more likely to abuse the utilities by leaving windows open with the heat or A/C running, leaving lights on, ignoring the toilet that constantly flushes on its own, etc.3.

Have you considered a HML to buy a property needing light rehab?

Can anyone shine some light on why that might be?

@Victor Sprague give her a written warning that it is unacceptable to behave like that.

There are a lot of small maintenance items (like a door jam, toilet clog, blind malfunctioning, fireplace pilot light out) that I don't have the resources to cover at the moment they occur.

If anyone could shed some light on/ good PM/ areas etc

Any words of warning should we let them keep paying the note? 

On a 32 unit, they will do things like replace shower heads with low flow, replace toilets with low usage, replace light bulbs with LED, etc.