As an advisor to a client who wants to purchase a home do some repairs and clean-up on the property and resell it...where should he begin?

Assuming that you estimate of rental income is accurate.Keep in mind though that lower income ppties come with management problems, late pays, possibility of evictions, higher maintenance/clean up on tenant changes.

Most of the things they inspect are fairly obvious (new paint, clean carpet, safe electrical outlets, etc.).

Home owner has made a payment and has local mgmt company repairing/cleaning/showing etc.Can someone help me/us with this ??

The tree damaged another tree on the way down but the brush has been hauled off and things cleaned up.

Do you think I can rehab a project and still come clean in 24 months?

When this happens, they'll ask for extension after extension until the issues -- like code violations, municipal or utility liens -- are cleaned up enough so they can close.

Your tenants will put more harmful things down the garbage disposal and sink than the higher end tenants and will leave you more of a clean up job on turnover.OTOH your lower end tenants will let you slide on coming right over to fix a broken disposal or running toilet.

I can clean it up and post it for others to use . . .

Document timelines when you start advertising, clean up costs, ad costs, where you advertised (save copies), rental applications, miles driven to show the unit, phone calls, letters EVERYTHING.