The reason I am offering this is to make a sale easier and close of escrow faster for a potential purchaser.

So, I would both keep savings and consider dumping CT unless there is a strong reason to keep it living across the country.

It is not something my partner has heard of before and her family and other guests have stayed at the home throughout and summer, up until 2 days before this renter and they have never mentioned it. 

This strategy can help reduce utility expenses.Mid-term and short-term rentals can have utility costs up to 10% of gross income, including electricity, water, gas, cable, lawn care, and pest control.

You have both the high vacancy and rough area working against you placing qualified tenants.There are literally dozens of reasons one unit rents and another does not even if the unit not renting is the better looking unit.  

If one person has smoke in their unit and causes the alarm to go off, the alarm in all units go off, and the fire department is automatically notified and is required to show up (is what I'm told by the FD and PD).

What did you end up doing? 

The reason why is because financing is based on the rent numbers of the property and the DSCR ratio and not on your personal debt to income ratio.

I was based in DC up until three months ago, and she's in DC now!

Did that work for you or what ended up happening?