It is actually in a very stable neighborhood and there are several homes in the area that have recently sold with no pool that have sold for the same value that I could sell this one for in the future and one currently listed a few streets over for 92k so it think removing it wouldn't be detrimental to my value.  

I have had several rental units over the years, and am somewhat experienced in that component of RE investing.  

In that case, demand for your investment offering is high and you can offer less to get someone to invest because you have plenty of investors to choose from.The final component is relationships.

That's who you're competing with in today's frothy market because bubbles make everyone act stupidly.Another way to protect yourself is buy a building with some value-add component, borrow 10 year fixed rate money with 25 year amortization and 70% LTV.

If you will be living at this place there is an emotional component which might justify you going higher in price to win the property.If this is an investment for long term buy and hold for rent income then it is less emotional and more about dollars and sense.Another factor is velocity of deal flow in your area.

Yes you should know the proper ways to install building components. 

Fire life safety is a large component in approving or restricting use.

Soft close is a plus, it is simply a component of the drawers, for a flip, it is ok since they don't go to tenants.

Provided the option is non-transferrable (which would be how you set it up), you could re-let the property and let the clock run out on the option.If you wanted to find a new tenant-buyer for the property, you could cancel the option and refund the remainder of the option fee (remember a component of the option fee is a time value which diminishes the closer you get to the exercise date).  

I've never had occassion to contact the Register's office myself, but presumably when you have a title search conducted, the data that the Register's office has is a large component of what will be used.