I think the responses you have already gotten provide a great deal of insight, so I won't beat a dead horse there.One thing I did not see mentioned as a factor, though, is your local market.

If I had gotten on my high horse, and refused to pay a broker a buyers fee, my partner and I would have foregone a profit of in excess of $119,000 (our legal bill was $1500) on a 202,500 investment in less than 30 days.

Might also keep some horses and other animals, hence the zoning question.

And they talking the sellers.So what's the argument, the cart before the horse?

Occasionally you run into a seller who thinks his time shouldn't be wasted and whose high on his horse, but typically they regress after their property sits on the market a few months.I do choose my battles very carefully.

Best to get info from the horses mouth.

We would often sell them to cover loses from other projects, usually horses, then find another house and fix it up. 

Not to beat a dead horse, but "appreciation," without a catalyst, is a folly.

New place is in the country on a couple acres, with huge trees, a creek in the back, open ground for playing, horse stalls and pasture, unbelievable amount of garage / shop space and a nice house for the wife.

This is my first rental so I may be putting the cart before the horse?