A little more than 6 months later slightly tipsy from a few drinks during my celebration, I was sleeping on the floor with a towel as my mattress and a coat as my blanket I can still remember closing my eyes that night hearing the steam pipes bang like a sledgehammer.

Old growth yellow popular with the first coat of poly. 

You need a firm idea of what the market value is, as is (since you are saying it is pretty much, "rent ready").Once you have your value or ARV, let him know you reserve your cash for deals you can pay pennies on the dollar.

They made me clean the patio and fill the cracks and coat it, even though that is called "common grounds" in the deed.

They have nothing left to make further payments and even if they "promise" to pay once moved out it's highly unlikely you'll ever see a penny of owed rent again.It's probably far better to consider an Early Lease Termination clause in your lease. 

“I bargained with Life for a penny, And Life would pay no more, However I begged at evening when I counted my scanty store; For Life is just an employer, He gives you what you ask, But once you have set the wages, why, you must bear the task.I worked for a menial’s hire, Only to learn, dismayed, That any wage I had asked of Life,Life would have paid.”When you’re identifying and writing down your goals, you’re negotiating with life on what your wage will be.

All the heat is done by old radiators with a 100 year old radiant heat furnace in the basement coated in asbestos that can't be removed because it's too large.  

Look for 22 - 26 gauge (we prefer 24) Galvalume or aluminium-zinc coated steel.  

I would always contribute to 401k to get the maximum employer match, and not a penny more.Most workers switch employers ever 2-3 years.  

I see posts on here where people try to analyze every detail to the last penny.