The panel may still be fuse blocks.2) significant new plumbing:  you quite likely have a mixture of cast iron and galvanized waste lines (though copper is a possibility) and may have galvanized supply lines;3) envelope: the house will likely have no more than R5 insulation mineral batt insulation ... or worse, someone blew in UFFI in the 1970s ... and will not be air sealed;4) Roof: The roof will have been redone - likely 2-3 times ... multiple layers may still be up there ;-)  There is also a good chance the roof is not correctly ventilated as closed soffits were the norm;5) Fenestration - If it has original windows and doors, they will be hugely inefficient (single glazed windows with storms)6) Interior:  Our house was built in 1952 and they still used "Rock Board" with plaster over top on all the interior walls.  7) HVAC:   Please tell me its not the original furnace or boiler;8) Landscaping : How have the grounds and outbuildings been maintained.You could be looking at a full gut to do this properly.  

I would like to weed out the good from the bad and have a couple teed up once I purchased. 2) Once a home is purchased and the remodel has begun how do you all know what colors to paint the walls, appliances to purchase, fixtures to purchase and general landscaping ideas.

I do all the landscaping and show the units and it is not bad at all.

Then live there for a couple years while you fine tune things like paint, carpet, landscape, fixtures etc.  

The slab has to be structural or it will break up on the expansive clay soils where I live.

I was really surprised because the neighborhood was amazing and the house only needed cosmetics on the inside and massive landscaping on the outside.I spent a few more hours and drove around more “high glam” popular neighborhoods and found quite a few more just like this – with the mysterious white stickers and ghostly appearances of an extreme lack of human care.

I wouldn't mind paying more for landscaping for the pond and I am sure others feel the same way.

for example, many high price properties take longer to sell, so the DOM will be > 90, yet most of those would never provide positive cash flow.If in the 'hood, it's probably a rental.If it has lots of landscaping, probably better as a flip.The key metric: can the rent for that specific property in that specific location support positive cash flow?

"At the same time, as stronger markets approach stability, it will get harder for them to keep charting improvement, which will also limit the expansion of the IMI."

If that $85 power-washer only lasts a few months, it was hardly a bargain.Otherwise, yes, we use Craigslist for advertising, minimize landscaping with use of mulch and gravel, and like to keep to newer buildings (post '78 will usually avoid lead).