First thing I do is rip 'em out.

You can:* accept as is (or ask for credits)* demand the seller fixes it and gets town sign off* demand the seller rips it out (e.g. an illegally finished basement)In theory, these changes should be grandfathered in and aside from legitimate safety concerns (e.g.

I’m not super keen on having long-term tenants in a single-family home in California, but I’m open to advice on that.The house is in decent shape but could use new flooring, a paint job, and potentially heating and/or central AC, as well as blocking/taking out the existing fireplaces (don't love the idea of fireplaces in a rental). 

For example my simple spruce up would be, renno bathroom, and kitchen, paint, and redo carpet upstairs.But if i think real deep into what I could do to make it a STUNNER then I think, knock down walls, create more open/broken floor plan, add central air, possibly do an addition to add a 3rd bedroom and second bath.So when you could do ANYTHING .. how do you draw the line of what you should do?

He has every right to use his superior knowledge to rip them off by scaring them into taking a heloc to pay for a new furnace because it needs a filter replaced. 

   $100k would be tight.A 3/2 -- 3/2 no walls moved;   $90k is possibleA rental rehab;  lipstick, no HVAC or roof, keep everything, paint kitchen cabs and scrub up bathrooms. 

Quote from @Michael Baum: It is amazing what you can find in thrift stores and the like.This ^^^^ I never bought a new painting/or piece of art.

Currently looks like some small cosmetic exterior painting is needed on word parts and windows. 

I watched my parents flip houses since I was little and have always been on job sites or made "pocket money" by doing chores like painting fences or washing kitchen cabinets, which I realize now my parents were putting us to work to build that sweat equity.

Sucks that so many have been ripped off.