I rent low income property; we have a 114% annual turnover rate; we place about 10% of our units into eviction every month. We keep costs down like this:

1) We take half a month’s rent deposit up front and make it refundable, and if the person cannot afford to pay the rest, we take that as a non-refundable deposit with the next month’s rent.

2) We standardize our units on cheap and easily replaceable stuff — the hardwood floors are all painted with the same brown paint; the carpets are all the same pattern from stock items at Lowes; kitchen and bathroom floors are tile at 36 cents a square foot; the toilets cost $38; the lavatory sinks cost about the same; the light fixtures are $6 each in contractor packs; doors are $28 – $34 standard six panel blanks; etc. It is very hard for a tenant to break something that costs more than a few bucks to replace — the most expensive items are typically the front door, certain odd shaped windows, and the appliances.

None of this stuff looks bad, and the fact we can maintain it without much cost means the apartments stay looking between tolerable and nice and we are known for renting better apartments than the average slumlords.

As to evictions, we file against anyone who hasn’t paid on the 11th and have judgment, generally, by the 29th through 31st of the month, and have them out between the 10th and 20th of the next month, at the latest. If they won’t go, we get a writ and drag them out; if they leave stuff behind, we sell it in the front yard and try to recoup some losses that way.