Alternatively, and also more inconveniently...would anyone recommend deferring these repairs until after the tenant takes possession?

I've never used it before, but it looks like a pretty great alternative to the 4x4 tiles.

Alternatively, you can query it yourself from your Central Appraisal District or through MLS.

Bill Gulley has proposed some alternative ways of doing this sort of thing as well - maybe he'll chime in since I mentioned his name here.

Alternatively you can do a quick title search on the property and reverse amortize the loan and see what other liens there may be to have an idea of how much equity is built into the property.

Both tenants actually had some electricity - the lines connected to every alternate circuit breaker were functioning.

I plan to discuss with the landlord and propose that either the padlock be removed so I can test and maintain the sprinkler system, or in the alternative - the landlord move the service into his name and tack on a reasonable surcharge to my rent.

Yet another alternative is some sort of line of credit.

Alternatively, you may have to move to a smaller, cheaper place.

Alternatively it's possible to get a conventional loan on a house where the seller is asking 100k or less, and you're putting down 20-25% (which would be a down payment of less than 30k).