You can play hard ball and try to get more.

A few popped up in Cahokia, but that's a whole different ball of wax I didn't know much about. 

Many lenders are doing periodic occupancy checks and because the property is investment / Rental, if caught committing "Occupancy Fraud" the lender can call the note due, foreclose and the owner is out like the fat kid in 5th grade dodge ball!

I know this is a very generic question. But I just want to get an idea about the ballpark answer.I have never done a full rehab of a 2BR 1BA. Based on what I was shown, this apartment is really in shambles.Almost new ...

You need to make sure you offer with a good amount of lease option money to the seller and be fair with your expectations or the minute they run a ridiculous scenario/ offer by their attorney or realtor, you're out like the fat kid in 5th grade dodge ball! 

I’m not sure these are motivated owners or not and I wouldn’t want to come across as someone preparing a low ball offer and end up pissing them off.

My concern is that I don’t want to be “low balled” or miss something on the deal, especially since this would be my first property.

Going around the attorney to the seller through the agent to see if he'll play ball with you forces his hand.

Really just try and calm him down and go and bust your balls to find another buyer and make it happen!

I guaranty if you were to battle anther realtor with a borrower/ buyer who was to do as I described above, 7 out of 10 times you would lose down here in FL  with that outdated strategy of "Poor Mouthing the Offer" with ridiculous Good Faith Deposit amount in escrow.If I were selling a 500k home, and an a buyer hit me with a 5k deposit, their offer would be out like the fat kid in 5th grade dodge ball!