With community opposition you can operate within the confines of the prevailing laws, and so long as you play by those rules they legally cannot shut you down.

thereby allowing these plumbing updates to pay for themselves).I've got the toilets and faucets all picked out (because I have personal experience with these and I know which ones are good) - but I'm not sure what to do about the shower heads...I know that shower heads are an item that can be the biggest money-saver (because these tend to consume more water than anything else).

Also I'm speaking from experience in losing a significant amount of money trying to do something similar. 

@James LuctamarIn our experience, the #1 mistake owners make when selecting a Property Management Company (PMC) is ASSUMING instead of CONFIRMING. our experience, the #1 mistake owners make when selecting a Property Management Company (PMC) is ASSUMING instead of CONFIRMING.

How was your experience?

Unless you have experience with this, consider talking to an attorney.

Would love to hear people's experiences in these markets or recommendations of other markets that are more on the "untapped" side.

It helps you find reliable property management partnerships and gives you everything you need to make confident hiring decisions, like:Expert Matching: Match with professionals who meet your criteriaExtra Assurance: Licenses, experience, ratings, reviews, and more that can be cross-checked with BiggerPockets membersBonus Content: Receive an essential interactive workbook: “How to Interview Property Management Companies”

No matter where you get a lease, you'll find yourself adding paragraphs from your own experiences.

If RE is brand new to you, I would focus on playing defense:1.)