The market is pretty hot right now in many, if not most, markets in the country. 

Arlington is a hot spot for Airbnb.

I've had landlords tell me straight up that they won't rent to couples or couples with children(discriminatory I know, but in a hot rental market with multiple applications on a unit its hard to prove in court). 

Paint will never take the abuse of scratches, hot plates and pots. 

Second,   I plan to use a hot plate for the roommate to cook, since there is no kitchen in the new part of the house, but I have a sink in the commo area.  

Seattle is a really hot market right now.

Items that require immediate repair, obviously need to be done as needed (our fridge doesn't cool, the AC is blowing hot, etc), but the ticky tacky things can wait (the door handle is jiggling, the carpets need to be stretched, etc).  

All I have to worry about are the appliances and the HVAC/hot water heater. 

You are in the perfect position to take advantage of a hot location, and you already have your property upgraded to go with the up and coming neighborhood.My advice is to send out stiff rent increases as soon as the end of the current lease approaches.  

Just ensure that whoever you are working with is really experienced and connected and not full of hot air, there are tons of overread tire kickers in this industry.