The problem with those old handles is the screws can become loose and the knob pulls off of the shaft.

You could easily loose any saving and cash flow fixing it up after every time a tenant moves out (more likely gets evicted out). 

So far, it hasn't been an issue, in fact it helps a lot for you to see who is seriously interested instead of loosing your time or maybe even your money. 

Should an unauthorized occupant refuse to be bound by this lease, or refuse to leave on our demand, as the case may be, you agree to pay, as additional monthly rent, the sum of $25.00 for each day the unauthorized occupant remains on the Premises.You can also add some language about water use, but that could be tricky. 

In certain areas I am loosing my open house signs, while I am at the open house!

I get calls about the towel bar in the bathroom is loose.   

My two main problems seem to be:-Finding an off-market property to maximize value + potential margin-Providing a realistic projection of renovation and financing expensesI'm confident that I can tie the remaining loose ends together to deliver a compelling proposal, but obviously I need to present real numbers/properties so the lender can evaluate whether they want to move forward with me.What resources would you guys suggest (books, articles, BP posts/products) to help educate myself before taking action?

Given that you are so early in the project, how can you guarantee that you wont loose money? 

However, my broker is saying she isn't bound by any of that and I should just let it go. 

I am very confident that my profit estimate is closer to reality than your estimate.Are you willing to loose $250/month on this investment waiting for appreciation?