FHA does not allow you to do things outside of the home like adding a fence, hard scaping, retaining walls...   

Security Deposit: 2600Lease states no smoking/painting walls/no hanging things on wallsTenants have moved out and have left two truck loads of garbage to be removed.Damaged doorPainted walls which got on the ceiling and trim Lots of holes on the walls throughout the houseDamage from windows being left open constantly Weed was clearly smoked in the house (smell throughout the place) so we need to deep cleanWater bill wasn't paid so I had to turn back on utilityMissing keyQuoted costs:$450 junk removal (some furniture)$935 for damaged doors/windows, painting cleaning$30 for utility turn onTenants were only there for a year before moving out so a lot of this is beyond normal wear and tear. 

Sometimes I'll tell them not to fix it (a punch hole in the wall) and I'm charging them for it.

took down 6 walls including a load bearing wall. 

The biggest thing I notice on this one (just from the pictures) is the absence of electrical work (receptacles not present on some walls/kitchen, ceiling fixture with pull) which means the electrical panel is probably 60amp, and the odd gas supply repair which indicates the landlord was cutting corners. 

If that's the case look into finding a handyman, and make sure to shop around for the best price.Stuff I have ran into:lost keys/lockpicking [hired]broken washer [fixed myself]shower door [fixed myself]AC clogged [hired]Microwave broken [replaced myself]holes in the wall [fixed myself] Thank you!

Quote from @Sam Walls: Hey Marcus, I work with a lot of investors in the Philly suburbs, and I can tell you that connecting with like-minded people in the early stages of their journey can make a huge difference.

Focus on key areas first (like floors, walls, kitchen, or bathroom), which may help you handle the costs more gradually, even if it means moving in furniture or updating fixtures down the line.Also, since the tenant left it in rough shape, be sure to document all the damage (photos, receipts) in case you decide to pursue reimbursement through their security deposit or in court.

At yet another sale there was a brick row house/town house for sale that looked good from the street, but since it was in the middle of the row, to see the back of the house, you had to walk around the block and see the house from the alley, where the entire 3 story brick back wall of the house was laying in the back yard, and there was no back wall standing. 

I have improved fair rental value and value by increasing the kitchen size; adding an island tearing down walls between the kitchen and dining area and living area, etc.It all depends on the particular property.