@Larry Fried Have you personally owned in this price range?  

I like the commercial grade, heavy plastic "Sanitex" type wallpaper, it's super durable and easier to put up than the paper type, and the seams never pop. 

However, think I'd be more focused on ventilation.In an open kitchen, you start frying onions or something, not only the kitchen smells, but a lot of the open common areas smell also.

Umstead State Park is amazing), the fried chicken, and numerous colleges keeping things fun.

Also install a new style plastic floor drain in bigger size.

Paint does not like to stick to plastic.  

Trex is a recycled plastic board that looks like wood.

As @Ali Boone, @Larry Fried and others have mentioned, you can get investments cheaper in other parts of the country (compared to CA) but once you start getting below $50k, you're treading into a whole different world.

Our next meet up is next Fri and we try to do the meet ups every 3 weeks

., plastic, paper, foil, etc.) of any kind between the old and the new and that if your area/code requires ventilation of the attic, that the new insulation doesn't interfere with such.