So ya, STRs are playing a natural part in inflating prices but its a small portion of the price increases. 

Finding a USDA eligible property is another alternative, but that’s not happening inside the City of Philadelphia.

Natural stone or brick is expensive, so I am not a fan of ripping it out or painting it.

Nature has provided them all over the place here some I wish we could remove. 

This pushed us to look for different alternatives, and learned about REI.

Here are some examples:Schematic Design DevelopmentDevelopment of energy-efficient features that are uniqueDevelopment of elevated drawings for planningDevelopment of plans that meet specific/unique load requirementsUse of Alternative materials that meet certain requirements or improve design.Value engineeringDesign that is sustainableEnvironment designNew material testingEnvironmental impact studiesDetermination of substitute HVAC systems or improvements to the systemsDetermining alternative structural designDeveloping or improving lightingHave you utilized any R&D tax credits?

In my short term rental I have a CO2 and natural gas detector to alarm occupants.

I feel if I just stick to your advice and let people know in general I’m interested in investing and I’m sure the rest will happen naturally, thank you!

You should also check to see if they stole any of the copper wiring.Assuming you mean piped-in natural gas and not propane, be sure to contact the gas company to see what it takes to get the gas turned back on. 

I'm trying to avoid the 3rd bite, but trying to figure out alternatives.