Garden level rental rates are going to vary block by block and depending on condition/amenities.If there is a specific property you are asking about then maybe you would get more traction.

I've looked through what appeared to be good deals on the MLS only to find crumbling wet 100 yo concrete made from what appeared to sandstone or gypsum or some such garbage lining what would be listed as an unfinished basement.

Like most cities, Birmingham can change from block to block, so I wouldn't recommend buying site-unseen without some serious knowledge of the area or at least a trusted team/partner who knows it well.

Can I simply block each end until they buy it from me?

They may block that address out, so PM me for the contact information.Yes I've done JV partners before.  

My lawyer who lives in a big new home, one block South of Gandy Blvd. has just sold three fixer uppers near the AFBase, that he rented for a time and bought two more houses to rehab and rent.

@Dani U. check out some of the online payment options here as some of these can block partial payments:https://www.biggerpockets.com/rei/pay-rent-online-...Let me know if you have any questions since I am involved with the payment industry, as mentioned, so I am obviously biased toward an online option.  

You have to look at it by city first then block, in some cases, but not county.

Probably concrete pipes if no work has been done before.

It's not really that complicated: Whole House: ADownstairs: BUpstairs: CA has B&C calendars syncedB has A calendar synced (not C)C has A calendar synced (not B)When a reservation is made on A it blocks the dates on both B and CWhen a reservation is made on B it blocks the dates on A which in turn block them on CWhen a reservation is made on C it blocks the dates on A which in turn block them on CIf you sync B's calendar to C and vice versa, a reservation on B would block C which is not what you'd want