A clean, neutral-looking curb gives prospective homebuyers a chance to visualize their own additions/upgrades.

Get a gander at your competition and see what they are offering and take it up a notch.You might check Fiverr or TaskRabbit (not sure for interior designer) and see who is out there.They should be able to help you out remotely and without spending a ton of dough.

Quote from @Patricia Steiner: There are several lenders who offer low/no closing cost options for first time homebuyers.

The only reason he did it was because it led to additional work.

Many companies offer 300K max and above that they'd need an umbrella. 

Incorporating a washer-dryer hookup in the main house could be advantageous.This addition not only increases the convenience for potential renters but also adds value to the property itself.

If they need access to the property immediately, you can offer to leave to them until you are ready to close. 

I could buy a LOT of umbrella (additional liability) insurance for $13,000.

In my opinion, making an offer site unseen is not a risk.

I've found that CPAs that focus on a niche area such as real estate rather than offering general services to everyone are typically much more knowledgeable about real estate tax incentives.