I recently looked at an existing STR, but either the seller did not track the expenses or they did not want to provide them. 

From personal experience, this can motivate them to do a final deep clean before handing over the keys.Finally, for peace of mind, you might consider consulting a local real estate attorney.

They will help you clear any clouds on the title and know whether you can close in "7 days" as offered to the seller.

As a result, we had to push our deadlines with the seller.

Start by getting pre-approved to know your budget and show sellers you're serious.

And what I'm seeing is that many would be sellers think it's still 2022 when prices were higher.

Don’t lie to the seller.

Usually the seller completes these before closing, but for the "as-is" sales or foreclosures, they tend to put that responsibility on the buyer.

If you are interested in a home that's listed by an agent that represents a corporate seller in Atlanta or anywhere for that matter, RUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You could force the seller to bring it up to code before the sale is complete as one of the contingencies of buying it, let them deal with it.