Personally option 1 feels more like a year round business if that is your main focus to generate income.

It could never hurt to have too many leads or relationships with a good agents.

The current owner rented the house after she moved out but did NOT get it tested for lead and did NOT register the house with the county, both of which are against the law. 

It can also lead to abuse by tenants and neglect of properties by landlords, as there's no incentive to improve housing.If anyone doesn't know yet there's a major push for rent controls in cities across California and even at the state level (AB1506 trying to spread it to SFRs and condominiums). 

I will even pay ALL your closing costs IF I really like your building and the cash flow it generates.

The revitalization of the old theater seems promising and hopefully it'll lead to more development along Seneca. 

Who else to listen to, as well, because the realtors on the ground who have been in their field for 10+ years will know the market the best.Even if the realtor you meet does not specialize in what type of real estate investment you want to do, you never know where those connections could lead and once you get into the broker circle you are in the circle and can build relationships with other easier.

I'm not a huge fan of window wrapping in rentals, but with the lead paint problems we have down here in Pittsburgh in older residential housing from the 20's and 30's, soffit and fascia wraps are a must, especially on brick-veneered buildings, which really makes the peeling paint on the other facade elements stand out.

In Eastern Europe there were bathrooms in homes where the entire floor (plus most of the walls) was tiled like the shower, leading to a drain in the middle of the bathroom, meaning a shower curtain is a matter of preference (some people like to keep the steam in, or might have bathroom electronics out on the sink, but it's not considered "necessary" as it is in our "standard" bathrooms), so this isn't even necessarily limited to folks from the "3rd world."

.- There is mold according to the agent- I asked about lead paint and asbestos but agent wasn’t forthcoming (or didn’t know).- Building was built in 1940, all brick- There’s a loading dock and large garage door in back.