They kept two cats and two dogs inside, and the place nearly required a gas mask to step into (and this is coming from someone who has animals in the house and is used to the smell). 

For example t must have hand rails, and no peeling paint, no holes in the walls, but aside from that, I rarely ever see properties get denied because of condition.

You still may be held liable anyway if you knowingly allow them to keep a dog with a bite history.If the tenant has a guest over doing keg stands and the bust their head open or the guest trips on a skate board, slips on a banana peel, or whatever - do you want the guest to sue you or the tenant?

The information they give you is freely available and I got more out of reading BP than their sales pitch masked as a ‘workshop’.

Don't want it to peel off with the cold climate. 

If the house is a junker  broken windows, leaky roof, peeling paint and no floor covering it won't go FHA.

My only fear is the new paint smell is masking the nicotine smell.

I will definitely keep my eyes peeled for any great deal that comes my way.

Before I do so I'm going to keep my eyes peeled for another deal and try to close on it and just keep the process going. 

Lastly, there are peel and stick sound deadening sheets used in car audio.