These last two houses are what I consider to be very desirable rentals for long term buy and hold (even though that is not our strategy - it is our back up plan) - good school district, newer construction, in "cookie-cutter" neighborhood. 

As vinyl goes, it's pricey, but it's easy and seriously fast to do the labor yourself--you don't need any tools other than a square and a box cutter--and in the future if something happens to a square, I can replace it easily with one of the extras that I stored.

The situation at auctions isn't as rosy as it seems with bid rigging and fraud openly taking place.

Also there is a weekly meeting there in Jackson called the RIG meeting highly recommend you go to that all the local players go to that meeting you will learn more there in a few meetings and anywhere else.

The same cookie cutter place to stay that any other person that wants to buy in that building can offer.

Given your background I am sure that you can create a more interesting and desirable space to live in that a cookie-cutter 1,100 apartment complex and your dedicated parking space will be a huge plus.

Problem was that it was impossible to buy the correct connectors to hook the furnace and water heater too it and he wouldn't approve any jury rigged connections.I would call the city and ask one of the inspectors.Certainly a point where you could negotiate with the seller.

I see they have a number of reviews that are very poor with cookie cutter responses.

With the Fed having a desk in Chicago in the same building as the options house I see it as a completely rigged game. 

Lake Nona has these cookie cutter lots and houses back onto each other, but resale and rental markets are strong and many are moving into the area.