Of course COVID is making things more difficult when dealing with new appliances and shortages at the big box stores, but we're managing by paying a premium for our appliances from smaller appliance stories with more in-stock stuff and resilient supply chains.I'm not in student housing, although I currently do rent to students at one of my properties.My rentals are almost all strictly single-family C/C- class, hovering above what I see as the D-class divide in my area.

My husband and I use one shed to store extra supplies, the shed across from the bigger unit was purchased by our tenant before we bought the property, and one small unit (and shed) are recently vacant. 

We are not sure the cause of the leak/puddle water and it's more likely recent because the seller used that space to store carpet. 

You'd have to be very creative, but you may (for instance) know something about boat owners and the fact that they want a larger driveway (to store a boat).

I own a business that distributes out of 16 warehouses in the central United States.  

As you would expect, fitness tenants and full-service restaurants may not be chomping at the bit to sign leases, but daily-needs tenants (like pharmacies and grocery stores) are doing deals.

I'm in a small town and see my renters at restaurants, grocery store, etc.

Yes, it's around the same price, but some people get discounts some buy it at cheaper stores and some do it themselves so they save money on labor.

I have installed and reworked the installation of water heaters before.I don't know, but I am told that the typical 6, 9, and 12 year models at the hardware store either 1) don't differ mechanically at all- they're just building an extended warranty into the price or 2) differ only in the anode rod, which keeps the tank from corroding - the longer-warranty models have a thicker or longer anode rod.If you never ran out of hot water with the one that's there now, then get one the same gallon size. 

Let's say it outlast the current tenant, and the next tenant stores crap in there - are you going to fix it when the structure deteriorates?