As others have stated, your fit & finish goals should be guided by whether you plan to:1) Rent: tenants don't always take care of a property, so you want to use lower-grade materials and workmanship.2) Flip: higher quality on workmanship and materials is usually required.Regardless, you always want to "Maintain to the Neighborhood".

IE securing them paying tax's insurance etc etc. 

Another idea that we have been exploring is using the cash value of whole life insurance funds for emergencies. 

What adds complexity to our plan, is that we live in Minnesota.

I plan to do a 1031 into a new investment property.

What type of property do you plan to purchase(Single, multi, commercial, etc) and where do you plan to buy it?

The question is mostly a personal financial planning question and it depends on your preference and what balance of risk and access you'd like and would be comfortable with.

Link to home: https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/5649-36th-Ave-SW-Seattle-...Link to new Seattle zoning plan: https://one-seattle-plan-zoning-implementation-seattlecitygi...

Purchase price: $2,800,000 Cash invested: $560,000 The property is a three-story multi-family residential building with six independent units, initially facing significant challenges due to poor conditions.Renovation Investment Summary:- **Structural Repairs:** $250,000- **Kitchen Modernization:** $100,000- **Bathroom Updates:** $50,000- **Exterior Improvements:** $100,000- **Holding Costs:** $50,000- **Property Taxes:** $30,000- **Insurance Costs:** $10,000- **Management Services:** $10,000

Some of the best deals are in dysfunctional floor plans.