Pieces of furniture go for $50-$75. 

It is also helpful to speak in bank-speak too for part of your 'bank theatrics' piece.

Plan on mailing not one, not two, not three but four pieces to the same list.

I get a list with name, address and one or two other pieces of information.

How she can spend the time to drive around town to different salvage stores to find a certain piece of old lumber to then take back, and sand down, and paint, and refab to fit and install just seems crazy.

The more work a developer has to do upfront the less of a purchase price you get.For example a seller selling a piece of land zoned residential with a house on it.The developer will have to level the house or have it taken away, clear off all the trees and brush, then grade the land to get it site ready along with putting in horizontal improvements.Before they do all that not only will they need to get zoning changed but have their site plan approved with density needs, access points, etc.All of that a developer wants approved before they buy as their price to the buyer is based on the developers highest and best use in their projection model once finished.

The guy threatened to shoot my handyman when he asked for rent so I feel no remorse for the piece of trash.

Welcome to the BP family; appears you have all your pieces in place.

In N CA at least.Anyone with suggestions on how to protect myself with future transactions (SFR contracts) for individual properties, I'm all ears..Warm Regards,MarkN-CA (Sac/Placer area)

It's a tri-plex and I would be living in one of the units while the other two would rent for 500 a piece.