Getting an exterminator every time a robin lands on my freshly watered lawn isn’t in the cards either.

As Eric says above, you don't sign the lease and then start negotiating a freshly painted house or other updates.The walkthru is after they have paid rent, showed you the utilities are in their name and presented proper renters insurance.

So, maybe even just start out with asking them to waive all fines and fees, letting you start fresh, and you'll buy the place. 

If it were me, I would proceed with some gradual increases, and maybe pair that with some niceties - i.e. address some maintenance the previous landlord was deferring, a fresh repaint of a room or two, etc.

Makes the unit look and smell nice and fresh for the next tenant.  

They rent rooms out to people who have just come out of recovery.http://www.phoenixhouse.org/locations/vermont/phoe...Halfway houses (sometimes the same as sober living environments, or just for those freshly out of prison):http://granitehousesl.com/links/vermont-mens-halfw...http://recoveryhousevt.org/http://riverbankhouse.net/vermont-mens-sober-livin...Anyway, I just did some Googling.  

Freshly divorced applicants aren't stable.  

If there is going to be another person living there, it's pretty simple, it's no different than renting it fresh to two new people. 

For the die hard rent increasers, it probably does only cost that much because the unit is still fresh from the last turnover.

It will be better to start fresh so you can do necessary renovations and charge full market rent.