I've also bid on houses that the bank has stood firm on their asking price. 

Europe has been densely populated and has a hierarchal society of owners and pwasants which is what America stood against - Germany is more elitist capitalist oriented than the US is, despite other measures of "socialism" which might be argued started with Bismark.

Depending upon the roof truss's sometimes it's not real expensive to run duct work into the garage (but in this case it sounds like the existing hvac won't make that work). 

When she told them where we stood on it, they asked "what are you going to do, be a landlord?"

I have a good grasp on what I can get siding, windows, trim, interior/exterior doors, decks, guttering roofing, flooring, landscaping and concrete done for and who to use/where to source materials, along with electrician/plumbing -- lacking site prep, foundation/framing/roof trusses cost -- I could get the cost of the rough in from a buddy who runs a plumbing co.My challenges are A - not being able to be there all day to run things, and B - still missing some of the key contractor connections.  

This has stood up in court in countless occasions.

That is not as good as the two guys at the foreclosure sale who tried to intimidate me and said if I didn't give them $20,000 they would bid it up ...I told them I didn't have $20,000 and went and stood by the deputy who is always there at the sales !

To give a general idea of some of the mess they left - left it with 2/3rd of the lightbulbs burnt out, holes in 4 doors, very poorly patched holes in the walls in more than 5 locations, missing showerhead, missing ceiling lights, excessive mold, large hole knocked into paneling, enough garbage to overflow a roofing trash trailer, 2 tvs (1 stood 4' tall), cobwebs and filthy walls, excessively filthy carpet including over 15 dog male (squiggly!)

We are getting mixed responses saying we have to remove and replace all the trusses and roof at approx $60,000 to cutting into existing trusses but only gaining height in a 12 x 18 ft area.

Personally the attitude alone would have been enough to rub me the wrong way and I would have stood my ground.