Security & self esteem ...I just left our favorite contractor supply store. 

He also runs a feed/seed/fertilizer business and a tire store. 

Well...tell everyone that you buy houses...the grocery store clerk, servers at restaurants, contractors, I say this "I'm expanding my business and a lot of my business comes from referrals from people I run into.

There is also a decent used appliance store in Manville, the name eludes me right now......You also have Craigslist which I find to be a great resource for used appliances - I recently came across a like new stainless steel gas stove for 180 bucks..

Even on the small side of it; If you get a store-front with two or 3 apartments over top. 

Some tenants mail a check, some like to drop it off in person [at our store] and one uses his bank's online banking system to pay all his bills, but his bank and our bank don't play well together, so his bank issues a check and mails it for him.

Its a marketing strategy many grocery stores use to entice people to buy more. 

Scott @ http://www.biggerpockets.com/store.

Your voice mail system might have a separate "vacation message" which you can have stored auxiliary to your main message, simply select it any time you go on vacation.Personally, I would prefer not to give my contractor's number to a renter.  

They sell deadbolts at box stores or at family dollar for 5 or 10 dollars and take maybe 5 minutes to install.