First and foremost, I am not an attorney but highly recommend that if you do own real estate (which if you are reading this you likely do) that you also speak to an estate planning attorney. Allow me to put emphasis o...

What could you spend on surveys for deals you buy, maybe a couple thousand a year?  

This strategy helps you (the investor, by getting land cheap) and it helps the owner of the land by geting out of a tax lien, protecting their credit, and they can make a few bucks in the process. 

over the next couple of months, after the holiday, we will spend time and money into our primary to position ourselves as best as we can be with regards to the highest sale price. 

Unfortunately, the other is what it is and is set up that way  protect you as well as your future clients.

Trends such a military spending/deployments, time of year (school  months versus summer months), and commercial activity (Tech Center/Whole Foods) all seem to impact the rental market in Newport News to a considerable amount. 

The purpose of the lien is to protect their interest in the labor and supplies that they have sunk into your property.

How can I be proactive in protecting the pipes?

The reason why the utilities are in my name is because I lease the bedrooms individually kind of like a "rooming house" and in effort to keep the lights on and the water running I keep the utilities in my name to protect the other tenants from potentially irresponsible tenants who may/could take people money for their share of the utilities and not pay the bills. 

They do this for the tax benefit as well as the legal protection.