My thinking is, if I sell my duplex for $500k, I can easily buy/build a primary residence here in FL for my family for $250k cash here and not have any mortgage to pay and not have to deal with the pain of managing a duplex from a different state.

I did not communicate enough about the small things because I was too worried about the contractor thinking I was a pain, but in the end, resulted in me having to ask them to go back to the property to address them in three waves.I shouldn’t let the small things worry me so much.

B is the least amount of pain but I don't know that banks actually let you do that.If any of these are good or bad for reasons I haven't said please share your thoughts!.

Anyway, it is all a matter of waiting 12 to 18 months to start seeing really good deals.In my country foreclosures are painfully slow, but the prices are worth waiting.

Is it easy, NO, a pain to do, YES, will it cost you, Yes.

Does the landlord have a ‘pain-point’ that needs to be taken care of soon, or does the landlord have room to work with terms?

Paint has been the biggest pain of make-ready on rentals.

Definitely a pain in the butt option but an option nevertheless.The other route you could go if it needs to be strictly an investment property is to find yourself a capital partner who would fund the purchase and reno and be okay leaving some of their money in the deal for a piece of the equity. 

This was a painful learning lesson for me. 

Other types of claims could include family members seeking damages for pain and suffering, in which case, the landlord must have some significant involvement and influence in how and why the suicide took place.