If not, then embrace it. 

Embrace the process, and don't rush to get your first property "done with". 

He also said that the cracks and exposed bricks are signs of wear and tear and that water, and sunlight can penetrate and loosen up the glue.

@Lindsey Thomspon Hard to say without seeing the house but 5k won’t get you very far in addressing issues of long term water penetration which appears to be what you’re looking at from your description.

But even those can be penetrated for a variety of reasons if not properly setup and maintained.Just my 2 cents on that

Even if I could attract them, national chains in the core identity area wouldn’t be embraced by the community.

Just has a small hole on the side the jet the water out.Looking at the ceiling in the stairwell, looks like some water penetration. 

In most markets that can legally have STRs and that the local government embraces, you can get up to 50% more in rental income vs traditional rentals. 

A good attorney can penetrate your bad actions 90% of the time.5.

I think it's something beautiful to embrace. :)Good luck to both of you on your REI journey.