@Jon Holdman yes I think it was bought on sentiment.

@Jay Hinrichs My sentiments exactly.  

So far, that seems to be the prevailing sentiment in this thread.Everyone is different. 

I'm confident most in this community will echo same sentiment: there are no dumb questions.

He says, No, it was my mother's house....oh, I understand there is a sentimental value there, are you going to let it remain empty or will your family be using it?.....

Great to hear, and I share your sentiment on investing.

To some people, even after they sell, the home is still personal or holds some sentiment to which they care what happens to it after they are gone.

@Steven Myers, agree with sentiment above, I use MDF for my flips as it is easier to install (more flexible) and most people can't tell the difference (especially 1st time home buyers if that is your market).

In the rural areas in which we live, that's the issue usually; people hold too much mental/sentimental value to houses, even vacant ones which have been sitting for years.

My instinct tells me to do the same thing.My only hesitation with that approach, and the reason for this post, is the strong owner sentiment I've detected from previous posts that owners hired PMs to do a job and thus should not be reaching out to the tenant him or herself.