Then, on the day of closing, the buyer revealed a major issue: there was a second loan on the property, an additional $60,000 over our contract price.

Removal and examination after ceiling drywall removal revealed the water tracked along a joist and saturated the ceiling from a focal point along the joist.

Get rid of the kitchen before any discussions with the city...otherwise you risk revealing to them yourself that it was an inlaw unit!

Talking with them ahead of time before you purchase the property can reveal a lot about the situation.  

Some of the assumptions appear likely as 7 inspections out of 7 all revealing major issues is not impossible, but at best unlikely.The question really is the severity of the problems that the inspection revealed.

A title search will reveal these as well as judgments. 

The Deloitte survey revealed the average family office principal age at 68 and 4/10 will endure a succession process within the next ten years. 

That search will reveal you are om title and have "Vested" interest in a property that you reside in that matches your Drivers license, income docs, etc.

Additionally, local forums, Reddit, and Google Trends can reveal community interest and developments.

Not allowing pets could impact the marketability of your rental, especially in cities like Dallas.According to the article:"Data from Zillow reveals that twice as many renters filter for pet-friendly listings compared to any other amenity in the country’s 25 largest rental markets.