In cities desperate for revival (Rochester and Binghamton are high on that list), this is the wrong move. 

Desperately hope to find a mentor, or partners to invest with.

@Nick Rutkowski no good deed goes unpunished by desperate people:(We try cash-for-keys (CFK) all the time, but tenants always think they're smarter than us.Most are so ignorant, they expect the funds BEFORE they move out.NEVER!

No telling what a desperate, bankrupt government will do.  

But Dylan, knowing how fast-paced the real estate world can be, answered.It was a distressed seller desperate to sell their home immediately.

I see it somewhat regular of people who got into a "deal" with HML, to do a Brrr and now it's half done reno and there desperately trying to sell it as-is to bail them out. 

You have to ask yourself "how desperate am I to rent this place?

Skilled Labor is in desperate need and we have literally tens of millions of "human cat's" just sitting on the shelf. 

If your agent will work for free with no strings attached, that tells me they are either desperate and inexperienced OR they offer a low level of service working many "clients" - either way you lose in the long run. 

There are many people that FOMO bought in the last 18 months and are desperately trying to get out now at decent losses.