The most effective way to test is to make a small cut with a sharp knife through all layers of paint and finishes.

And if you any good at it and blessed to live in the low value markets were you can pick this stuff up for the price of used car's and want to deal with tenants you can make it a cottage industry and a  nice living better than a job in many instances as we see the HEY I JUST QUITE MY JOB I AM financially free post of BP all the time.. but make no mistake those folks work for this and there is work to owing and running rentals it may not be 9 to 5 but you have to be sharp and put in the time and energy to make sure they run right..

From what I read: The molecules of Borax are sharp and will wear through and dry out bugs with exoskeletons (fleas, ants, etc).

A sharp seller will counter at that maximum offer, but it sounds like your seller wants even more than that. 

As an investor, this is where you really, really have to be sharp and pay attention.The same property you could have purchased for $60,000 - $70,000 a few years ago, and you would have been investing in the lower end of a Turnkey property value range, and in what I believe would be a higher-risk property, you are paying closer to $100,000 for today.  

I consider myself sharp and savvy - but clearly not in this arena.

She appears to be a professional tenant with a sharp attitude.

If you're really sharp in financing, your seller might decide to finance to an end buyer, but proceed with caution and professional assistance with an attorney and a mortgage originator.

Tough to find a deal around there, like any college town, I've looked at a lot of deals and you have to have a sharp pencil.Your doing the right thing by researching, talking to people and looking at some deals though.

Lloyd is a sharp guy!