They were in bad, bad shape in spots but I spackled the damaged areas (it took multiple attempts in spots due to shrinking of the spackle as it dried) but it was a success. 

You could collect the whole thing if you want to make sure they have it, but if they ended up not moving in you'd still have to try and mitigate your losses and attempt to re-rent it so it's not like you'd get to keep it all anyway.  

What upsets me is a dead body or someone I find that is unconscious and unresponsive due to an overdose in a property. 

The seller is also stuck with the 1-2 months of legal paperwork after the accepted offer to take care of, which can be daunting if attempted on your own. 

Let the tenants know (in writing) the chimney for the fireplace is not good, and they will die of carbon monoxide if they attempt to use it.

My tone and body language is from a place of respect and professionalism.

If the body was there for 2 months before it was discovered the smell is only part of your problem. 

I think his worst problems were a dead body, an overdose, and walking on an intruder on drugs.

You might find an individual who is attempting to start/grow their own firm that would be willing to accept M2M.Realtors:  Some states only require a real estate license to be a PM. 

@Michael Woodruff  As @Nick C. said, that is exactly the kind of thing that requires a real estate license in Massachusetts.Here are the most relevant parts of the MA law from the link I provided above - the emphasis is mine:''Real estate broker'', hereinafter referred to as broker, any person who for another person and for a fee, commission or other valuable consideration, or with the intention or in the expectation or upon the promise of receiving or collecting a fee, commission or other valuable consideration, does any of the following: sells, exchanges, purchases, rents or leases, or negotiates, or offers, attempts or agrees to negotiate the sale, exchange, purchase, rental or leasing of any real estate, or lists or offers, attempts or agrees to list any real estate, or buys or offers to buy, sells or offers to sell or otherwise deals in options on real estate, or advertises or holds himself out as engaged in the business of selling, exchanging, purchasing, renting or leasing real estate, or assists or directs in the procuring of prospects or the negotiation or completion of any agreement or transaction which results or is intended to result in the sale, exchange, purchase, leasing or renting of any real estate.As I said before, there is not a millimeter's worth of wiggle room in there.Right now, I'm working with a young couple who is selling their home here in W.