They can look nice too with the colors/patterns/material mimicking they have these days.

The kitchen flooring is a linoleum-ish floor but it definitely has a dated pattern on it, so I am considering some options for that.

I'm not familiar with the weather patterns in that part of the country.I would agree with Carl Arft, you should check it out before you invest. 

The $12 per month will make up in the long term if a claim ever has to be made.Sad to say the weather patterns are changing rapidly and we are in Tornado Alley, as well as we have pretty decent hail storms with great risks of repeat flooding in some areas.

That said, there is areas in explosive growth pattern, support by planned city development, and for the smarty-pant's who put int he work to know those plan's ("ehe-hum") appreciation becomes a mathematical item vs guess-work. 

I think if I wait long enough I'll get someone but there is definitely a pattern of it taking a long time for me to find tenants.I believe my property management advertises on both Zillow and Facebook.