It's doubtful the borrower has 5k sitting around and even if he did it may be a deal breaker.

For some people it's a deal breaker, for others it's not a big deal.That said, I've had no problems renting either unit. 

I had an older panel where one side of the bus corroded to the point that  only 110v was getting through from the main & not all breakers were still viable.I had to replace the entire panel & all the breakers.

However, I still don't know what he did besides add a master switch to the breaker box and cap off a junction box.

Kenneth Wright, Presiding Judge of the First Municipal District of the Circuit Court of Cook County issued General Order 2017-01 which sets the dates and terms for the 2017 moratorium on the enforcement of orders for possession in forcible entry and detainer eviction cases in Cook County.

@Warren Juall call an electrician , they can usually wire trace to confirm if it’s a dead circuit.

Is this a deal breaker in regards to real estate investing; as investors, wouldn't we want control the whole of the properties we are purchasing?

Not a deal breaker in most cases, but be sure to be aware of this and discuss with your CPA tax implication that your IRA will owe if you decide to go this route.Self-directed 401k on the other hand is exempt from taxes on leveraged real estate, therefore if you are eligible you may want to explore this option. 

Do you ha e room to add breakers.

One concern I'm having is the band of homeless that's taken over the corner a couple feet away, I know they can be transient (my family has been in The City for almost 100 years), could be a deal breaker if Mayor Breed continues encouraging homelessness as previous mayors have done.Originally posted by @Amit M.