Are they doing everything they can to expose properties to the widest possible market?

I can't imagine they would expose themselves to liability by creating a contract that violated law.With that said, the only way to know for sure is to have your own attorney review it.

If all the gas pipe  in the basement is exposed then it shouldn't take long.

I am interested what other risk factors such an investor would be exposed to if s/he only looked at the PITI ratio to calculate the rental income.

Ultimately, the inexperienced layman does not need to be exposed to something that has the potential to take their life.

We are plan on fixing the house up (paint, new countertops, removing carpet to expose the hardwood floors, etc).

But yet I was made out to be a liar for trying to expose what I know.

Meth is a bad compound and a esquire/judge/jury would destroy a greedy R/E investor for not getting it tested if disclosed before selling or especially knowingly renting it that might expose the poor tenant to long term exposure....

I'm looking into a potential deal on a duplex and, while the numbers are very good, my hesitation is that one of the units is heated with a propane heater and a pellet stove.

That may be true from banks who place that "overlay," to reduce their expose to inexperienced  landlords however FHA and VA  don't actually require that so you may need to find a lender who does not have that overlay requirement.