Things like original hand painted tile, beautiful wood work where they just do not build things like that anymore and it would take a kagillionaire with "crazy" ideals and resources to even restore a home to its former glory and or old light fixtures.

The house I'm looking at has tons going for it: bluestone fireplace, updated kitchen and baths, four-season Florida room, wraparound deck, incredible woodwork, two-car garage.

Account ClosedUsually people come out of the woodwork when this topic comes up. 

You accepted condition of building / unit when you took over..Wear and tear on carpet this age is ridiculous,, it's has no appreciable life left.You could charge him if he broke a window since your ownership, or that type of damage,, but anything nicotine damaged from your point of ownership is pointless in trying to recover any damages from this tenant.Any why you would have DEEP CLEANED a carpet that was in this type of unit was a waste of your money.You will not get rid of the smoke smell until you wall wash with TSP all walls, woodwork, windows, then prime coat walls with KILZ,, clean all filters, any vents spray inside after washing out as best possible with spray kilz,, don't try to save any window treatments. 

hey terrythis is going to be a call for the city first and the zoning ordinance and what the city or town will allow you to do there, get on the website and do the due diligence to find out what all the particulars are on the property, where they even allowed to be placed there, You never know until you check, find the tax info, find who, or what entity owns the dirt, never take someones word for face value, we know how that is these days. once you put your info all together and make a business plan for the improvements and purchase you will be able to find a lender, they come out of the wood work when you have all your documentation together, you know the sayingBuyer be ware

Talking to a commercial agent would probably be the wise choice, being that my level of knowledge in analyzing deals is about as good as my woodworking skills (I know how to put nails in it).

If you aren't installing blinds in the living area install a curtain rod that fits  standard 84 inch drapes or they will install it probably in your woodwork or not very well. 

I waited too long to get it done and there was quite a bit of damage on some of the exterior woodwork (it's a stucco house) so i paid a contractor to fix it as part of painting the exterior.

Those kinds of flooring will last decades with minimal maintenance, but the kicker is that the maintenance guy has to have some basic woodworking and tiling skills to fix and refinish it.

I’d definitely want this done before closing just to be sure nothing or no one pops out of the woodwork at the 11th hour claiming ownership or a lien on any of the homes.