Floors were redone, obviously a fresh paint job, and I'm sure there were a zillion little things fixed/improved. 3) The buyer was also using traditional mortgage financing.

That doesn't make any sense but I can see how some brand new investors could think it's strange.As far as staying in line with the subject here.

I am brand new to REI, however, it has been an unrealized though im my mind for over a decade now.

What brands do you all suggest as being the best all around for a rental?  

I'm also a fan of Robert Kiyosaki (although, NEVER pay to attend any workshop branded with his name... you could save time tossing $20s in to a fire).Another book I like to recommend to buy and hold investors is "What Every Landlord Needs to Know" by Richard Jorgensen.

City planners struggle with this all the time, but a grant for a Redevelopment District takes years to write and get approved.Assume you go it alone, is there any brand name stores in walking distance - - think "Why would someone want to move here"?

I mean what can you really do with the property unless your investor wants to build a brand new house.  

I'm brand new to BP but excited to dig in and learn all I can about Buy & Hold Real Estate. 

If you want to pace yourself ahead of your competition you could consider fresh data.

Brand new heating system and brand new boiler system 2 years old.