Ask the Seller to have both units vacant and clean prior to purchase so you can start fresh.

One listing showed a nice apartment complex with flowers and freshly paved and striped parking lot. 

Many seem to be fresh from a local meetup or guru seminar and they are interested in jumping into the real estate industry with no funds of their own to invest.

Turnovers always receives a fresh coat of paint as well.

Recently a travel nurse was complaining that they rented a place with a fully stocked kitchen but the kitchen had no cookie sheets, muffin tins, measuring cups or spoons, another nurse might not care about those things if they do not cook/bake but for that nurse it was important.

So obviously that would affect the price (and thus, cap rate) for that specific property.Generally speaking, real estate has aggravation and the "risk premium" component of the cap rate is already baked in (i.e., people expect a little better return vs. other investments because of that).

I am fresh out of college and 25.

The bank statement "Alt-QM" (formerly known as subprime) stuff is pretty dang liberal with their income calculation, but the risk is baked into the rate.

I feel like Class B or C buildings where the fresh construction has worn off normally offer slightly better values, but they still don't typically have the big swings you see in single family homes. 

Because this is a  short sale, if the short sale approval letter expires, you  might start a fresh to initiate the file with the short sale lender and it is not a guarantee that it might be approved or the lien holder might pull a fast one and foreclose on the property.I don't know if the subject area is in a rental control jurisdiction, even if, all it takes to get rid of the seller is minimum of 45 days with an experienced eviction attorney.However, make sure the seller has signed the grant deed while the drama is going on, otherwise, it might be a dead deal.