I say that you and your husband should be on the look out for areas that are just starting to get some nearby commercial development, particularly if some major national stores are moving in.

Keeping up the required annual items done takes time too.

It seems with prices now this is the only way to get cash flow while accounting for the items mentioned above by Joe Fairless.

We've released V1 of our BiggerPockets Android app -- basically a web version of the full site on the Google Play store with Keyword Alert push notifications.https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?

Between these two you can find a lot of items. 

I found a local plumbing supply store in San Diego that sold refurbished gas and water meters (electric meter off the internet) and contacted a plumber to install them on one of the units.

Rent an industrial strength ozone generator from a hardware store and run it in the apartment for a couple of days.Ozone is an unstable molecule that attacks hydrocarbon molecules, breaking them down into harmless substances like carbon dioxide, oxygen and trace amounts of water.Just make sure you follow the precautions and if you overdo it let the apartment air out for a day.

The very best list is the one Dave Reynolds has from the mobile home park store.

It becomes an issue if there is no where to store a lawnmower etc.

I am getting ready to start a rehab project and I remember reading somewhere where you can take a list of your construction items to the PRO desk at both Menards and Lowes and they can send them up to corporate for re-pricing.