It also says nothing about supply and demand of rental units in a given location, which would affect vacancy rates.

We've rarely gotten any pushback on our selection.The other thing to keep in mind is that someone at your lender has to 'sell' your loan request to their higher ups to get your loan approved so the sooner you supply the answers to the requests for information the closer you will be to a term sheet... or a request for yet more information.Good hunting-

Around here, there is a pretty good supply of them, with the retail for one in good shape being $5 - $6 k. 

Buy it at a pet supply or farm supply store. 

One way to control expense variables is to pay for labor only, and supply materials that you pay for.

I think in the more economically challenged blue collar areas, many families literally do not have enough money to afford proper cleaning supplies.

Usually they didn't have sufficient instruction about what needed to be done and most days, they didn't have the supplies they needed to work, so little or nothing got done.

You may eventually get to a point where you've worked with particular buyers enough and supplied them with enough solid deals they may start buying from you sight-unseen...but you should always allow them their opportunity to inspect the property.Most cases the only parties involved will be the "motivated seller", you and your buyer.

Mind if I ask which part of the supply chain you work on?

I think a maintenance schedule is a great idea as long as you are not trying to generate more income from the tenant, and you supply the filter to the tenant because it is your property.Joe Gore