I’ll prioritize continuing my search for distressed and discounted properties, avoiding those areas you mentioned! 

Cosmetic repairs that don’t pose health or safety concerns are typically optional.Then be very transparent and communicate thoroughly to the tenant, as to provide a professional explanation for your decision forward. 

You do not want to go cheap on this, especially when it's for life safety. 

NSPIRE inspections will more accurately reflect the true physical conditions of properties and ensure that property owners adopt sound maintenance practices to eliminate health and safety hazards that may pose a threat to residents.

I know its good to have and it will give me access to the MLS, but should I prioritize it right now? 

@David Randolph - my use of the word "threatened" is in regards to the statements made by, as at the time I understood it to be, the real estate agent negotiating the sale to inform me that I could be sued and a lien placed because I was refusing to sell, which would mean that either I agree to sell and put my children on the street or I refuse and they will sue to take possession and I would still put my children on the street, I took that as a threat to the well being and safety of my children, legally it may not be a threat, ethically and morally, it is to me.

Assuming your investment projections is 5+ years, it's usually worth it to sacrifice a bit of cash flow to prioritize growth in my personal opinion.

If you get a high-paying tenant in there, you can increase your odds of increasing the home's value.So you’d prioritize cosmetics upgrades, or a whole remodel, rather than “new construction”?

To make things easier, I am really just prioritizing cash offers so the process is more seamless.  

It really depends on what you're prioritizing in your investments.