The kitchen has only bare walls (no appliances, cabinets, countertops), certain sections of the roof have been patched with felt paper instead of shingles (most likely the whole needs to be replaced), basement has limestone walls and is moist (I believe that water is leaking into it).

(needs a lot of floor work, re-carpet half of teh home, then kitchen need re-vinyled after we patch those holes, and we have to frame out a wall because he turned his 2/1 in to a 1/1!).

If you notice a significant number of houses that have aged or patched roofs, need painting/maintenance, more cars than parking spaces, cars that obviously aren't running, lots of weekday activity/presence of school/working aged males during school/work hours, low rent rates and recent sale prices are all indicators of decline.  

The tenant told me that the owner was aware of it and tried to patch it many times instead of just taking the tree out and repairing it as soon as it became a problem.

Minor repairs, patch holes, etc.. then a fresh coat of paint and he is usually done by the end of the next day.I try to stage supplies and contracts/handyman for the day after the tenant moves out.

(like leveling the floors, patching holes in walls, changing out the broken windows, painting and moderate Kitchen remodel, skip the permits on the remodel etc) . 

A year as a roofer, and a couple years working the oil patch in Alberta (GET ER DONE!!!!)

At first glance it needs new carpet through out and some patch work in the flooring.

The house has a very small front yard which we plan to put a little patch of grass and short fence around.

Hi Steve, I don't have a lot of construction skills except for patching holes on the wall and putting together IKEA furnitures.