I put the gutters back on the house, removed all of the overgrown brush, added quarter round to the baseboards to cover the giant gaps left from previous owners removing the carpet, landscaped all of the property including planting four new trees and having a dead tree cut down, painted the kitchen cabinets and replaced all of the hardware, added quartz countertops, new sink, new faucet, new microwave vent hood, new dishwasher, painted bathroom cabinets, replaced all of the windows, etc.

The roof looks good but I need it checked, and I will also need 2 large trees removed and desert landscaping done front and back. 

Generally speaking this is why usually the landlord is responsible for lawn care and other common area expenses because getting tenants to do it unless there is some incentive will give you the "tragedy of the commons" where nobody will take care of certain areas.But with 14 rentals at that point I figure it is probably more cost effective to sign a service contract with a landscaper to do it all?

Pools have to be covered, landscape or important planst/flowers/gardens have to be protected, etc etc etc. 

We added plumbing, appliances, landscaping, and furniture Lessons learned?

We also painted the exterior, did lots of landscaping work, and installed a new privacy fence giving each unit a private fenced back yard.

Improvements included foundation stabilization and house lift in corner ~1.75", complete landscaping overhaul, 1 complete, 1 major and 2 minor bathroom remodels.

Real estate investors are always looking for decent electricians, plumbers, contractors, landscapers, pool builders, you name it.

Any suggestion which option I should chose based on current housing / recession landscape?

I am looking for alternative markets to put my money into.Through my research I've selected Birmingham, Memphis, and San Antonio as my front running markets.Give me a 3 Bullet Point list on why I should invest in Birmingham- Statistics are encouraged, however, I am also interested in the feel and vibe of the city and prominent areas.Looking forward to hearing your responses!