Tucson is still a comparatively cheap place to live with an increasing opportunity for growth.

I would say "File a claim and then you can take me to court so that we have it on record, small claims court is cheap so that's most likely best for us".DISCLAIMER: Not legal advice and I am not a lawyer just some opinionated dolt on the internet :)

If you can make the tenants happy for cheap you are probably better off just paying instead of arguing over who is supposed to pay.

Mailbox was packed with scribbled letters, letters printed crooked from a cheap inkjet, letters full of typos.

I have 2 investement properties and see that you can find rentals for very cheap, but as @Trey Kunkel Shippensburg is a college town.  

Is it better to put in a pre-fab tub surround or use cheap tile?

One where the homes are quite cheap, but Craigslist and homes on the market there are renting for similar rent to the rest (hence I lean that direction).  

But, money is cheap right now so that may be a great option for you at the moment.

and at the end of the day, we need to be able to use common sense in getting into a door.Yes, you will need a WiFi set up to control the lock at your location and a very cheap subscription if you want to control the locks remotely -  but you don't have to.Beware of shiny, good "Apple" design looking products made of cheap and light plastics, especially when it comes to longevity and the heavy mechanics needed to withstand millions of physical movements and human force. 

If you cheap out on a damn fridge for 300 dollars... what message are you giving your buyers?