I also include the required language that if there is a deficit owed, they must pay upon receipt or I may file with credit bureaus.Also, as Mat T. says, you have to prove THEIR pets did the damage. 

If not it could be a long road.If it IS NOT going through probate, strap in for an even longer ride.

Tie straps will hold up longer.

John, is there any other options we should look into being that we are cash strapped at the moment?

Jonathan, I'm not sure this fits exactly what you are asking but I thought this might be helpful.Raising Money in an LLC or Joint Partnership-Securities LawFull disclosure--I'm a client of Mat's law firm but this article is on a public blog and meant for general consumption and is not specific to clients of their firm.There's a podcast that I've listened to on this subject (not BP Podcast), if I can find it I'll post it here too.  

Your overall return can skyrocket if you can more quickly to take advantage of (I mean solve problems for) cash-strapped people.

I am not chest thumping, nor being a door mat, but instead giving her the opportunity to make the right decision.Thanks again to all for your valuable guidance, insight, and honest feedback!

I operate in Hawaii, where I was living when I got started, and Anchorage and beyond (Kenai, Mat-Su, Fairbanks) as a secondary market to allow for some more flexibility in exit strategies -- I have a couple of flips in progress, a lease option LTR, STR, upcoming multi-fam STR, etc.

So I recently reached out to a laundry mat because I heard they might want to sell.

No one wants to pay more for something they have enjoyed at a discount no matter how much improvement has occurred.Basically you need to keep this sort of rental as a month to month deal.This is very important because the tenant is a short term tenant.They are usuallly too smart for their own good. if they are clever enoughto spot the advantage to this situation they think they are clever enough toget more from you than you are willing to give.They will end up problematic in the long term. but in the short term they work out really well.Keep them to 6 months maximum.especially when you go to increase the rent after the renovations are complete.To me the good out weighs the bad when you are in a cash strapped positionI have employed this strategy four times.I have found that at bare minimum I have managed to pick up a few thousand to put toward a renovation.I never found a great tenant that I would want a long relationship with.I managed to improve two properties using this methodand I will use it again.this is what I have learned.Do get people who know a thing or two about building houses.always be there to inspect anything you let them do.let them know that you will be around to inspect the jobduring and after its completiongo over all of your details prior.Never let them do any repairs without your consent.let them know this will be grounds for immediate eviction.Always set time tablesnever never make promises about what you will donever make statements about you want to donever make statements about what you wish to do.keep the lease to a month to monthor 6months at a maximum.Do attach a rider to your lease thatreleases you from any liability in case they get injured on premises.Thats all people.this is an emergency solution not the ideal solution.I am not recommending this as a first course measure.but in those situations where you may have thought about leaving a property vacant until you can get around to fixing it up