An interesting article--by Melissa Kwan of Spacio--which describes how beacons, a micro-location technology that pushes information to smartphones  through Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), could be used to change the way potential homebuyers and agents exchange information at open houses to drastically improve the customer experience.

Someone would come in and review every single expense with the center and see where energy savings, contract service savings, etc. could be had.

Brokers want to know they are getting paid for the time invested.Buyers that owned a business they sold, sold off stocks, high income earners, 1031 exchanges etc. are great candidates to work with.Buyers that have little to no money down, going after less desirable assets, low price points to purchase, wanting creative financing in a hot market, have to put unrelated people together as groups to raise money etc. are not as desirable.Statistically those types of strategies tend to have a higher failure rate meaning the broker doesn't get paid for the time and energy invested.

Thanks for the boost.

THey aren't the cheapest, but I'm looking at the stress-free release of paying a bit more for lease ups, to not have to put on the armour to fight the nickle and dime approach of some other companies (energy better spent finding deals). 

Your best bet is to focus your energy on finding an off market or wholesale deal for a MF in your price range. especially since you are handy and willing to do the work yourself.

I plan to pour a driveway to help boost curb appeal.  

Put the energy out there to other people that you are looking for multi-units and it will come back to you :)

I would try to leverage as much as possible to boost the equity return, if the DCR allows. 25% down is pretty much the most leverage you will ever get, so you are on the right track.

It will boost up our rankings.