Lastly, was this properly approved with the building department or has it been altered post-construction?  

But physically altering with infrastructure etc creates inventory and requires you to start a new clock to demonstrate your intent to hold for productive use and allow the 1031.

Be careful as you are navigating different neighborhoods, some of them have specific overlays when it comes to population density that alters the lot size requirments, often at the detriment of the investors.

They're still not doing anything to fix it, except force Google to alter the Google Earth images so you can't track the progress of the failure anymore.On the property front, the Chinese property situation started with the typical government-seizes-everything.

Any poor condition, frayed or altered knob and tube wiring should be replaced.

So that in the event you want to do it yourself with permits or contractors are not available in a timely manner you can do it yourself do it right and get it done and move on to the next opportunity.NC LAW snippet:A person may construct or alter a building on land owned by that person without having a general contractor’s license so long as the building is intended solely for occupancy by the owner and his family AND the owner obtains all required permits.

Would that alter buying options between townhomes/condos and require a lot more in up front capital?

Most members have keyword alters setup for city and county so they will see your post.

Everything is considered grandfathered in to their current zoning unless you alter it then it must be done to the new zoning. 

.#1 - Do not panic and alter existing investments.