Pros and cons of avoidant owner
Pros
Attentive property manager - fixed cracked walkway down to laundry room, has carpets vacuumed occasionally, will perform (band-aid) repairs quickly. Apartment was nice, all appliances updated, most fixtures working
Cons
Very temporary solutions to major problems (our downstairs neighbors had a massive leak in their ceiling from our bathroom, still not sure if/how they fixed it but it required multiple visits to our apartment by the property manager. Property manager will try to charge you extra fees for work he deems out of his scope (unclogging toilets, removing items from basement) Update after moving out: property manager tried to withhold $500 of our security deposit due to normal wear and tear and painting. The reasons why this was ridiculous are innumerable but make sure you take pictures before moving in and after leaving. We did get our money back after writing a strongly worded letter.
Advice to the owners
Some major renovations needed to heating system and water system.