Keep you tenants longer by providing clean, fresh space with attention to aesthetics.

I will probably re-side it for aesthetic reasons, as the old metal siding is pretty dingy, but maybe I can get it to clean up.

Subdivide and get prefabs onto the land; set up utilities, fences, roses & aesthetics, paving, et cetera.

Just the aesthetics alone sound horrendous!

On this level, your ability to find the ones that are priced cheaply but only need an aesthetic update, is where the money is.

Also, from an aesthetics point of view... lots of room around your refrigerator looks like you have skimped on the fridge and may leave a bad impression on your prospective tenants!

And frankly, some older buildings are aesthetically more pleasing that much of what has been built in more recent decades.

And everything that goes with it - including refinancing for "hold / rent" strategy.Evaluate "upgrading" primary residence to take advantage of no capital gains (lived there over 2 years) - this will also put is in a good school district which is a must for the wife.Increase number of rental units while maintaining strict guidelines on price, aesthetics, and LOCATION!

This way the two will work together creating a higher quality finished product and I will have the ability to make the necessary energy efficiency and aesthetic upgrades to the older portions of the structure.

If you are confident in your ability to come up with a workable/financeable plan that meets the group's goals for location, cost and aesthetics and the local political/planning goals then you might be able to bring this to fruition.