Quote from @Jamie Banks: Here's a few things I include in my MTR lease- Utility caps- Outline of the furniture that is included- Details regarding which utilities are included- Outline who is responsible for lawn care / snow removal- List of fees (admin fee, cleaning fee, etc) Hi Jamie! 

Basic staging with an agent usually means they give you insight into how you should:Declutter and depersonalize by removing photos and personal itemsArrange your furniture to improve the room’s flow and make it feel biggerAdd plants, move art, or re-arrange other accessoriesFull-service staging is another option if your house needs more hands-on attention.

You could get the 3rd party processing fee removed by working with a broker/lender that does in house processing.Seems you're being gouged for the appraisal review and admin fee...that's ridiculous. 

A colleague of mine has bought two properties owner-occupied back to back in Arlington (with a 5% rate and a 7% rate) doing basement conversions and renting rooms, lowering his effective monthly payment on each property to sub 2K each time.

Water is shut off and they are removing the electrical meter.

Really about growing a strong portfolio of solid deals.Now that being said, if you are a high income earner, well qualified, and can't find reasonably good deals: (i) you can connect with a well connected real estate agent for off-market deals; (ii) you might do a very narrow cost-effective cold call or letter writing.

Are there any cost-effective ways to handle this situation legally?

That doesn't pass a cursory BS test, and risks the appraiser calling out either fixed plumbing + permits, or a licensed professional remove the bathroom.

Perhaps it is hard for people from the states to understand - but the rule of law, and clarity in regulations etc really makes it so much more attractive than other places where you never know what new policies might come into effect forcing you to take massive loses etc.

It's crucial to consult with a tax professional who understands the nuances of your situation to determine the most appropriate and cost-effective method for your tax filings.