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I started collecting coupons and discounted HD gift cards to soften the blow.

I am seeing rents soften a little just purely from an affordability standpoint with exception to the new luxury apartments which are still coming online hot and heavy. 

I understand we're still assuming the risk here in the long run.From the vacancy perspective, our market has softened some in this price range, so we are currently sitting/paying for the property right now. 

Or a property that is likely to be on the market for a while but whose owner may soften as time goes by.It all depends on your goals and your gain of course.  

I think there is a little softening on the horizon.

Probably good to double check the amount of the security deposit as well, so you know exactly where you stand if/when you take them on as tenants.If you close and need to displace them you may find it's helpful to soften the blow by contributing to their moving expenses.

The water softener stopped working and a new toilet we put in has some rust stains in it.  

If conditions of oversaturation occur with new product around, recently rehabbed, and the market rents soften then unless you have an unbeatable location renters will try to move elsewhere where it is cheaper.So the strategy I see employed by many larger owners is to push rents but stay in that middle 50% and not the top of the market.

If the seller has not received offers, time should soften them up and make them more willing to do a deal... that is unless they do not HAVE to sell, but want to see what they can get with their asking price.