For example, maybe the water heater was replaced; when that happens, the sediment should have been cleaned out of the tank, but perhaps a less-than-perfect installation means that some of that sediment wound up in the pipes instead.

I was looking for a STR at the coast (Port A or Surfside Beach) a few years back, and wound up pivoting to Lake LBJ after watching the rising sea levels, high cost of flood insurance and maintenance - and the risk that the federal government may stop subsidizing coastal flood insurance. 

Originally I was going to wholesale it, but wound up buying it myself.

Not as strong as an offer with no contingencies but I haven't had too many sellers (even bank owned / foreclosures) turn that down as it's a reasonable request.I bought a banked owned HUD property some years back, even with no water or electric turned on, the plumber can do an air pressure test to give a feeling of what needs to be done, and hire an electrician as well for a rough estimate.Although riskier, we wound up doing extremely well on that property.Good luck!

The contractor took complete advantage of me and I wound up paying a final Contracting price of 200% what I was quoted.

We initially received it as an off-market deal and then wound up submitting a preemptive offer once it was brought to market.

We are going to have to demolish the house which is of course more salt in the wound. 

We are already losing $1000's with vacancies or tenants behind on rent and eviction moratorium until March 2021... now Zillow wants to add salt to the wound and charge WEEKLY to publish on their site? 

Conversely, I went into the screening and selection process of my first tenancy knowing how crucial it was, put forth the required effort to make a great (not just good) advertisement, set up processes for screening, and wound up finding an amazing tenant with an almost perfect credit score, pays rent at least 15 days early each month, and bakes me loaves of banana bread on occasion "just because". 

Tennessee is a great market, I was supposed to move out there with the Army before covid and right before I started putting offers on houses I wound up getting transferred to Nebraska instead.