Have you considered using paint to change the feel of them?

If you havent already, I would allocate funds to the exterior paint job and landscaping, to ensure that it pops enough to "one-up" the other homes on the block.

Interior air handler unit needs furnace replaced, minor wood work on front columns, paint and carpet. easy cosmetic rehab.

Your offer price then would be 163,000 going in.Seller always like to underreport expenses and puff occupancy to paint a rosy picture.

New carpet, tiled bathrooms and fresh neutral paint throughout.

The last sounds absurd to me, however, I know laws can be weird.The former landlord suggested that I Paint/repair/etc... and rent it as soon as I can, and mentioned nothing of evictions etc, but I was wondering if this was correct.

If you want to help your friend buy them a beer or offer to come over and help paint to get it ready to put on the market.

Refinish hardwoods or Paint the floors and varnish - no more carpet replacement.

As long as there is a reasonably easy way to add a closet, and a window to the outside world, we just throw up some studs, drywall, texture, paint, and install a door, and we have a new bedroom.Putting up walls and doors typically run us about $500-800 total.Bathrooms are a different story.

Ideally, one would look at the estimated cost for essential repairs such as demo, drywall, paint, floor prep, electrical and plumbing, etc., and then choose cabinets, countertops, and flooring based on what remains in the budget.