If you back is against the wall regarding cutting this tree down, as a last ditch to cut the whole tree down yourself, you could offer the neighbor $100 Bill as a kicker, a 6 pack of Corona, or Bud or Pabst, a case of Campbell's Chicken Soup, etc...Or simply not to rent to anyone with Glass Pack Mufflers, etc...Or offer to have your cutters chuck all of the good sized pieces over the fence so he can split them for firewood (he might be able to rent a power splitter from Home Depot).Shake a hand make a friend on this tree deal and it might go easier on you.Good Luck!

I read a book where they guys talked about spending hours and hours at the Depot creating their own database of direct costs, plus talking to their contractors to estimate per-hour or per-job labor costs.

Tim,  I agree that at this time would just think about what living situation you prefer, as your plan is to live there for at least some amount of time....commute time (if you have a good idea where you may be working), do you want a larger yard for garden, dog, etc., prefer a newer home (as downtown Madison with older housing stock, you can run into various surprises still with knob and tube wiring popping up, old plumbing--I personally had to break out basement flooring and replace an old clay drain line with pvc that had cracked and constantly got tree roots in it), move in ready or ok doing some level of updating/rehabs and if you'd be up for a multi-unit. 

The deal isn't sexy and I don't think it would be a big enough financial win for a Home Depot flipper. 

You can get a decent Pella or Jeld Wen 6068 slider for like $600 at Lowes or the Depot, but that's the simple part.

Besides security deposits do they have utility deposits and unpaid sub contractors like gardener/ locksmith...Change every lock.

Also Wal-mart,Sams Club, Costco, Home Depot.

@Brandon wa@Brandon Wagner when I was first staring out I found visiting the local home stores Home Depot, Lowes, etc. and just being observant with who was buying what helped me.

@AJ SatcherAnother major expense was that 6 month’s after purchasing our 4 unit house hack, we had a sewer backup, rented a snake from Home Depot, and ran 75 feet through 3 times, didn’t clear.

Home Depot advised that I had to work directly with GE for repairs since it was still under warrantee.