Make them sturdy, tenant proof.

It’s a 3bd, 1ba sturdy brick house, sits on about 1.5 acres, and needs quite a bit of cosmetic/plumbing work done to it.

Support - I will be asking the builder if the floor will be sturdy enough to support everything that comes with a bedroom 3.

It won't be like last time, the government has a tight leash on banks now which is good for consumers, but bad for investors.if you are talking about appreciation, then I think it will be stagnant or decline a bit for a while since people are less likely to buy during interest hikes and no wage increase. 

There are much straighter and lighter trees that grow faster available for dimensional lumber: firs, spruces, and various other pine species.The rafters are not the biggest issue here -- a sturdy rafter structure is to be expected in a pre-truss structure, where simple solid rafters in line hold up the roof, not a complicated structure of thinner sticks taking up lots of floor space in the attic.You need to look at the attic floor from below carefully.

Assuming this is on the up-and-up, fire damage isn't the end of the world if you have a good contractor...and assuming the place hasn't sat in the elements for 2-years growing mold on drywall....still houses are sturdy and some of the things that scare people away can be fixed. 

They feel nice and sturdy when the old get kind of scratched and loose and cheap feeling.

Most people will get these to minimum occupancy standards (e.g. sturdy floors, no roof leaks, working plumbing, hot water, air conditioning / heating, etc) and then rent it.  

Best of luck and let me know if you want to discuss any techniques I used to lengthen the leash at work :-)

They seem to work very well and the newer ones are grade 1 security (and seem sturdy) vs the key-control which advertize as grade 2.