If he recently lost someone in his family, he may not be in a mental space to process what you need.

If you sell because of health, work, job, or unforeseen circumstance you can get the section 121 even if you sell before 2 years.

They have a mental list of hard to collect rent addresses and they may help connect you and the owner. 

Is it a health or safety issue to replace the shower?

Look for cracks in the foundation, walls, or ceilings, as these may suggest settling or shifting.Additionally, keep an eye out for pest infestations, particularly termites or carpenter ants, which can cause significant damage to wooden structures.Lastly, be aware of environmental concerns such as radon levels and underground oil tanks, which can pose health risks.Having a qualified home inspector conduct a thorough evaluation is essential.

My mental calculus is that I want returns in excess of 25% above what the passive S&P 500 Index has returned historically (~8%).  

Both brothers were retiring, and one was in very poor health.

I like your ready, shoot, aim mentality.  

We lived in it as a single family residence and over the years of things that looked like they had been renovated started failing… we realized the owner before seemed to have a slap it together cheaply himself mentality.

Then after that split is taken out, we pay income taxes to Uncle Sam, errors and omissions insurance (in case there's a lawsuit), Realtor's Association dues, MLS fees (so you can look at properties on Zillow), monthly technology/desk fees to our broker, health insurance, car insurance, gas, maintenance, clothing, computer, cell phone, software, marketing, etc.