His name will be mud.

Jude Children's Research Hospital in the Pinch District.During the executive session of the Memphis City Council today (Jan. 17), Paul Young, director of the City of Memphis Division of Housing and Community Development, presented the city's plans to fund a "new sense of arrival" over Tennessee's most traveled highway, I-40.Ideas to liven up the scenery included additions to Mud Island, including zip lines soaring above water and fire features — yes, fire.

So unless the realtor was way off, there are issues with the property that make it undesirable, etc. you'll have a hard time getting your 30% discount.  

Deep cleaning a rental after pets can be expensive especially taking into consideration yard, door, and smell damage.I would use porcelain in the bathrooms/kitchen/mud rooms for sure and make sure to get a more textured tile for the bathrooms as tile can be very slippery with wet feet.  

even if she could get 2,000 a month that still seems like a pretty undesirable return if the house cost ~300k. 

So, run the numbers and you may very well find that you are a bit under funded ... if so, then there would be risk of running out of cash before you can work through the note to recoup your investment, then you may need to sell at an even larger discount or other such undesirable outcomes.

Not to mention, if there's a lock what do you do when an undesirable tenant moves out?  

Unfortunately there aren't too many MHC's in that path but instead in blighted and/or undesirable geographical and socio/economic areas where you don't get the demographics that make it an overwhelming investment opportunity but moreover a better choice for low income affordable housing.Now to answer your question about financing.

I know in TX and other southwestern states there are concerns about stacks of wood, rocks, etc that can attract undesirable animals like snakes.

There's lots of gold in that mud.