In my market all homes are sold with appliances, it's rare to see any of the appliances excluded, and when they do it's usually something like their laundry machine that they really like.

If you use the $3000 guy and he does an acceptable job, was he overpaid?

I found a ravine/wash cut across the front side of the property.

Becoming a real estate is a great way to learn the culture of that side of real estate - what you won't learn at Realtor School is how to invest - creative financing and making money.What you will learn is how to keep from getting sued - how to use their forms and making full disclosures.Learn the business from their prospective - but keep in mind (before you become brained washed) that your real goal is to become a successful investor.So - follow their rules - but start to study real estate investing - get a mentor - go to auctions, tax sales - foreclosures - make offers on expired listings.So to make your broker happy -- list a few properties and sell some also.Apply for a credit line, check protection and set up some joint ventures with friends and relatives.You WON'T make that much as an agent - but you'll become wealthy if you learn how to CONTROL and ROLL real estate - make sure you learn advanced creative real estate formulas and use those principals often.Good luck with your release from incarceration of employment.

Am I allowed to alter things, such as charging for use of Laundry, splitting water, charging for pets, and things of that ilk?

Usually a multi unit building is already set up and metered for a "house" account meaning any electrical service to individual apartments is wired to that unit on a separate meter..and all halls, exterior lighting, laundry rooms, etc are on another separate meter that is in the owner's name usually refereed to as a house account.

Easy to use.)Make sure everything can be washed in the dishwasher.

case in point.. a few years back city of Corvallis required us to do full engineering plans to go along with our prelim plat approval... everywhere else in ORegon you get pre lim plat approval relatively easy then you get a laundry lists of conditions.. sometimes the conditions are such that its not financially feasible to build the subdivision.Well we spent 100k getting all the final engineering done.. went into planning the neighbors were screaming like stuck pigs  ( 40 acres full of mature doug fir timber so it was like their private park.we negotiated to 27 lots  that would have worked... but neighbors wanted 23 .. one in particular did not want a house close to theirs and did not want the trees cut...

Typically, you assume the balance as a wash with you and the seller and no escrow refund is due

Only 4 unit's I'd have all inspected and treated, just say annual inspection.. bugs travel.. do basement, laundry rooms and hallways.. get it done