In the alternative, instead of funding a 529 plan, you could purchase a rental property now and use that to fund college.  

I worked with them, and their financial support agencies, so they were able to line up alternative housing.

If you can't get your potential seller to bite, I doubt they would appreciate your earning that by "alternative means".  

I have found crowdfunding to be a far more effective (and passive) alternative to direct RE investing for me in the US, and am migrating my US holdings in that direction. 

Or are there alternatives to the "averaging" technique? 

Hopefully there is an alternate repair beyond breaking and repouring, that stuff can get expensive. 

I'd really advise against plotting an alternative exit strategy based on not signing -- that's not a good way to do business.

I don't know - depends on your alternatives.  

Owners not in the hotel program but use Airbnb and similar)The developer is segregating  cleaning from our shared costs, not offering a viable/sanitary alternative (i.e.

Keep in mind if the description/pictures show the home needed a lot of work, then the price will be lower than normal, and alternatively, if the description/pictures show the home was completely renovated, then the price would be on the upper end.