In MFH it is done by increasing NOI (part of which is bring your property and rents to match surrounding comps). 

If I provided more furniture in the rooms, and lamps and cable, wi-fi, etc, I could charge more, but that's not my population.

Costs are higher for submetering to install but once done prevents complaints of water usage as it is accurate and it increases the property value as you just increased the NOI.

.- Risk that prices increase substantially over the next 3-5 years, and outpace any of the benefits aboveLeaning towards selling since it’s hard to pass up free money, I’m not sure prices have much further to go from here, and we’re not sure we’d like to move back to the same home that’s been rented for 3-5 years anyway.

Especially when it goes from mis-managed to well-managed or vice versa.If a property is increasing the NOI, the market’s cap rate is fixed and so the property’s value goes up.So in the situation you describe where NOI is effectively zero but could be a lot higher, you have three choices:1.

It might have areas that will continue to do well and others that will go down in its popularity so I would tend to look in areas close to home and that area in high demand, has a diverse economy, population rise, and job growth, and talking to experienced Agents and get their opinions if I was looking at it long term. 

I have been making a living at real estate since 1994 and I currently feel like there are no moves left on the "chess board" Valuations imo are reaching an extreme and risk is increasing. 

Besides potential improvements that can be made to increase the income, I'm concerned about additional expenses will I'm sure no doubt will arise once I visit the properties/ am provided the actual financial sheets on the properties.

Offer to upgrade the AC in exchange for a sufficient increase in rent to pay for it.

Interested in to see what your opinions are on an idea of mine. I have a sfh home with a detached garage at the rear of the property, the property is a corner lot with an alley behind the garage so there is access fro...