Let me be clear--those methods above DO WORK...if you are satisfied with a) either spending 10-15k a month on marketing right away or b) doing 1 -2 deals a month. let me be clearer-- I'm not selling you anything.

That doesn’t mean you spend them on something else.  

We are planning on doing a major remodel this winter during the off-season as the house looks and shows fairly ok but it is not something I would want to spend more than a week in as it needs a remodel badly.

You would spend at least $1200 on vacancy, turn over, and court anyway. 

For cabinets you can spend a fortune or you can get pretty inexpensive at Lowe's.

Might as well get it done then.Your best bet is to refi your loans down, graduate, pickup a job that requires your major (so it’s hopefully secure, and you and your kid(s) can still live life okay), then proceed to spend your extra time finding work that you truly enjoy (the earlier the better).

You are spending money to lose money. 

For example: by spending $10k, rents can be increased by $100 ($1,200/yr.) and $1,200/$10,000 = 12%.

I've yet to hear anything good reviews about using a PM but don't necessarily have the time/desire to mange my own property, despite being local. 

Otherwise my offer will be “X” because I’m going to have to spend “X” to pay someone to turn it back.Then tell them that a 1/1 in their area goes for “X” and that is where your offer came from.Just use “kid gloves” because it’s possible that some sort of disability (i.e. going up/down stairs) led them to chose that location.