Lights, appliances, and furnace all worked, good neutral paint, tile on first floor, carpet upstairs; couldn't test the plumbing since the water is turned off. 

Things such as neutral paint throughout, light fixtures, laminate countertops, no carpets, paint cabinets and change hardware, stainless appliances(if you supply them) and landscaping.  

The combination of large mortgage payment and reduced rental income typically results in neutral or negative Cash Flow for the first year you own the property.  

signed at their current place of residence, etc. if they seem more 'comfortable' there (i.e. somewhere neutral, or more 'casual') and already are almost certainly signing the agreement? 

Example 90% of sales are closing at 95% of asking price etc.How about how much percentage each month that type of asset is going up, staying neutral, going down in price in the area you want to buy in?

But there are so many submarkets within Chicago & some of them are either neutral or leaning towards buyer's market.  

If the tenant and the landlord agree, a neutral person can work with both of them to reach a solution.

Before the next tenant I will surely repaint it all something neutral.

All that being said, DO NOT give the wholesaler a CASH Deposit, And make sure it is payable to a neutral third party (Escrow company, attorney, ETC).  

Good, bad or neutral.