In US tax law, the depreciable lifespan of an asset is defined by its MACRS classification which stands for “Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System.”Under MACRS, depreciable assets are assigned to different classes, with each class having a specific recovery period.

I've heard horror stories that it's usually impossible due to the "burden placed on the municipality" but could really never understand what that burden was... most people living in those units wouldn't be using the school systems so aside from maybe an increased volume in emergency medical situations I can not understand that statement? 

Did you know that you can bank with some of the newer systems for property management?

Summary of expensesNOICap Rate Condition of the building systems  

The key is to standardize property quality and management systems, which would appeal to buyers seeking scale.If you’re thinking long-term, holding these properties for cash flow while leveraging local appreciation is also a strong play.

The brother and his son had been living in the house, free of charge, for years, and were gaming the system.

For example, cheap goods at Walmart let people buy more cheap crap but at the expense, at least partially, of good manufacturing jobs that supported local communities. 

Now my main issue is I need a fire detection system in a enclosed back porch that leads up to all three floors, but I don't know what's the minimum I would need to be compliant or that the fire marshall is suggesting what he wants or recommends.

With this data, develop your own lead gen system that works.

Without one, there is a small and remote chance that the existing system of insurance, mortgages and the US housing market as we've known it, is at systemic risk due to; over-financialization, risk aversion and regional fragmentation.