Foundation cracks often appear around door frames or windows.

Pdf the siding is in good shape, I would keep it and add an accent, like shutters, or decorative trim above the windows/doors, as long as it is consistent with the home's style.  

3 bed 2 bath 1,732 SqFtDallas Tx, 75238Built 1979•ARV: $185K•Estimated repairs: $12K cosmetics, bathroom & kitchen updates, windows•Asking price: $132K•Buyer pays all standard closing cost & title costs •$5K non-refundable Deposit

I have also found that heat pumps do not heat the properties well in the winter so the tenants tend to turn them up to 85 plus then open the windows.  

On the other hand, if you can avoid these potential pitfalls, there are opportunities out there.I recently purchased an intended buy and hold (90% of what we do) and ended up flipping it (this particular house was about an hour north of Concord in the Claremont / Springfield VT area):Purchased for $55K needing a good amount of capital injection:We did new windows, roof, deck and vinyl rails, cedar clapboard repair and paint, some sill repair, entire new propane-fired forced hot water heating and domestic hot water system (it had electric heat and an old electric water heater), plumbing repairs, full bathroom redo (new tub/shower with custom tile enclosure, new vanity, new toilet), half bath redo (vanity and toilet), new floors throughout (tile and laminate and refinishing of hardwood in living room), all new interior doors and finish carpentry, complete interior paint job, new sinks/faucets/finish plumbing, new appliances, a good amount of electrical upgrades, all new interior and exterior lighting fixtures, driveway redo with blue stone, a drainage-related landscaping improvement, filling in of a swimming pool, and other miscellaneous odds and ends.I estimated to be all-in (purchase, reno, and carrying costs) just under $100K.

Bars on windows?  

For a rental railing we used the vertical thin metal rod spindles and wood above and below for top and bottom rail.

I told him I was working 14hr days and wasn't going to take what's left of family time to care for his yard - - it's not in the lease so get the other tenant to do it.I mention this as a window into the attitudes of both players - - best wishes.

Post an ad for new windows if your putting in new windows.

We charged extra if tenants used A/C units in their windows by the month during the summer.Large complexes adsorb the cost of heat,water, and factor that into rental costs.