Currently there's a layer of ice on the driveway that most of the other driveways around it don't have.

Kidding aside, majority of posters here on BP think appreciation is “icing on the cake”.

Refrigerator ice makers, dishwasher, microwave, garbage disposal, etc.Windows - open and shut them to make sure they work properly.

$2000 in annual maintenance for a 90 year-old brick building in a city with 100+ degree weather in the summer and 5 months of snow and ice in the winter?

That way only one of them has to come to fruition for the deal to be "satisfactory" and if both come to be, its icing on the cake. 

-I know appreciation is the icing on the cake but I'm noticing that a lot of house in Long island do not appreciate. why is this the case?

If I can trade up using a 1031 exchange or if I can cash out refinance I am looking at that as icing on the cake. 

Guy does the job , looks good , 2 years later you get a ice storm and it adds weight to the roof and the house caves , no permit .

I also remove/replace the problem items, like garbage disposals, ice makers, old school toilet flappers.

you must live in it for 1 year.. your skating on thin ice though with your thought process.. you get caught and someone wants to ring you up you have now got a felony and potential jail time.. mortgage fraud is no joke these days..