In NYC the demand is lower in the winter but the supply is also lower so apartments rent fairly quickly still (typically within a few weeks).

Any hurdles or was it fairly straight forward?

Fair point, I really don't want to bear the burden honestly.

That is reality because the receiver of the info has no skin in the game, nothing to  hold them to the "advice".

Ron Rowan’s local insights helped us approach the seller with a fair offer of $160,000.

Also, I'm looking for something to keep me busy as I ease into my retirement.You are trying to hack the primary residence part to reduce taxes and if you really can do it and you really live there then it will be fair, but if you deviate at all, the town will come for you and you will never get anything renovated if they think you aren't living there and it's not liveable.

@Lisa H. why does paying "fair market value" matter?

Quick response and a fair cash-for-keys offer is still the fastest and least expensive way to get someone out who isn't paying.

Now, if for whatever reason this was a fair allocation, and the 5-yr property indeed lost 90% of its value while in our hands - then the impressive tax savings they boasted about would be valid as well. 

There is a lot of grey area on this site, as there is on most sites, and in the interest of wanting to be fair to posters and not be ridiculously heavy handed, most mods will give posters the benefit of the doubt on the front end, maybe with removing a post and a warning or something similar.