both have their own laundry.  

We're converting and old laundry room in to a master bath.

Can you add storage units and a laundry facility in the basement to add some extra monthly income from the existing tenants?

Laundry is what takes the longest.

Being a general contractor and an experienced investor I see stuff from multiple angles and the key component of what you said was he is selling this property in the winter and that's exactly for a reason I've seen this happen many many times.

Added Kitchen, Bedroom, Laundry and designed it to be unique and an attractive value to tenants while competing against apartment amenities.

If her home is close to the retirement home, perhaps people could stop by the vacant house on their way to visit grandma or stay there if they live out of town and are visiting grandma.I'd also disconnect the washing machine.

For example, give yourself 30 minutes in the evening after the kids are in bed and the house is cleaned (ie dishwasher is going, load of laundry in the machine).

They always gave preference to cosmetic issues like landscaping and power washing instead of issues that are hazardous and code violations.

Exterior/amenity improvements, unit interiors roughly 50% of the total, move leasing office from unit, to extra space in building next to laundry room (making laundry room much smaller with new laundromat next to property)