BEGIN {
    no strict 'refs';
    for my $property (qw/id debug display_time default_text/) {
        *$property = sub {
            my ($self, $value) = @_;
            croak "Too many arguments for $property method" if @_ > 2;
            $self->{$property} = $value if @_ == 2;
            return $self->{$property};
        }
    }
}

##</code><code>##

BEGIN {
    no strict 'refs';
    for my $property (qw/id debug display_time default_text/) {
        *$property = sub : lvalue { $_[0]->{$property} };
    }
}

##</code><code>##

OLD SITUATION           NEW SITUATION

$foo->bar;              $foo->bar;
$foo->bar(15);          $foo->bar = 15;
{
  my $temp = $foo->bar;
  $temp =~ s/foo/bar/;
  $foo->bar($temp);
}                       $foo->bar =~ s/foo/bar/