You don't want to make the mistake of a $6,000 renovation that only increases the rent $60 and will take ten years to recoup the cost.

@Isaac Hebron on your units, add more value, raise rents, increase the property value and you could be sitting on a gold mine!

Could I not just increase earnest money deposit from the next buyer buying from me?

For instance, let's say you are pitching a deal for a fix and flip and it looks like you have a solid plan, the investor has confidence in your endeavor; because you are a first-time flipper and or fledgling REI they know the investment is at high risk for failure to wasteful effort and you will likely take longer than advertised they are going to want the lion's share of the deal and 1st lien position.

The interior and landscaping are dated and could be updated to increase the home's value to the neighborhood median (close to $600k).Here are my ideas:1) move him into an apartment/condo2) buy the house as a purchase option3) renovate the home4) Sell the home5) buy a multifamily property in partnership with the father in law with the all the equity generated from selling his house.

That could be a great way to find and stay engaged with local investors and opportunities. http://www.biggerpockets.com/alertsYou can also search for other investors in that area and follow their journey on Bigger Pockets here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/search/usersAlso, be sure to get plugged into the podcast - it's been a wealth of education and a huge confidence builder as me and my husband have pursued REI and built our portfolio.

I need to find a funnel for deals so I can increase my chances of finding that first deal. 

That could be a great way to find and stay engaged with local investors and opportunities. http://www.biggerpockets.com/alertsYou can also search for other investors in that area and follow their journey on Bigger Pockets here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/search/usersFinally, if you haven't already plugged into the Bigger Pockets podcast, I can't recommend it highly enough - it's been a wealth of education and a huge confidence builder as me and my husband have pursued REI and built our portfolio.Best of luck to you and look forward to following your journey!

Although assuming some increase is a good idea,  I would be shocked if the taxes increased from 1020 to 2040. 

Price run ups continued through the summer but those increases drove demand away towards the end of June.