They should have a healthy reserves for exterior maintenance.

Would I be able to paint the ceiling with dewaxed shellac to cover the smoke stain ,(and smell) without cleaning?

They spent 5 days cleaning debris and making repairs. 

get rid of her, clean it up & get an offer that will not embarrass you...

It was a catch twenty two.....Lower home prices.....but tougher loan requirements.....those with CASH were the ones that actually "cleaned up" when they "waited for the recession".

I always make sure I have healthy cash flow, as for the long run you need cash flow for your deals. 

@Jason Holloway - There's definitely some seller finance opportunities in Sacramento; oftentimes, the terms depend on the seller and what they are looking for.During a transaction, you definitely want to ensure that an escrow or title company is involved to ensure that everything is clean with the transaction, including the actual title itself.The good news is, loan rates are at an all time low right now, so house hacking in Sacramento (either through a duplex or a single family house) is VERY do-able.  

New fence, new roof, new carpet and cosmetic repairs and cleaning.

Will clean up the house and paint it What was the outcome?

This is why you pay a cleaning company to clean.