@Alvin SylvainEven in California the landlord is required to make reasonable accommodations and allow the tenant to make modifications at their own expense as long as the restoration back to the original construction will not be an unreasonable expense to the landlord.Ripping out a second floor ramp or elevator will definitely fall into the unreasonable expense to a landlord. 

Is there any smokeless cigarette smell nastier than when a smoker comes in from a smoke break and gets in the elevator you are already on?

In California all multi unit buildings with elevators need all units to be adaptable.

Best scenario in my opinion with the least headaches could be to sell that home and move the equity into a 400K home that is paid for in full, this will elevate a lot of stress and give him time to retool and overcome the rotten economy forced upon us. 

So with current economic conditions (rates are elevated and going higher) you may need to wait for 1-3 years to catch rates at a better point.

That's a reasonable take regarding the lack of used home inventory keeping prices elevated and I agree.

†Here are five methods that you can do today to get the prospects you want.Five Ideas for Building Referrals.1.Learn you elevator speech and be prepared to say it to at every opportunity.a.Always state your name b.What it is that you do. ( I am a real estate Investor)c.Who you can help. ( I help people who need to sell a house because of foreclosure, divorce, probate, unwanted houses, bad tenants, houses with a lot of repairs needed.

I'm realizing I need a good elevator pitch describing what I do and how I can help the person with whom I'm speaking. 

Learn your elevator speech inside and out and how do deliver his scripts when on the phone talking with sellers.  

Current plans call for an elevated light rail line and they want a tunnel, because North Seattle got a tunnel.