These days with at least one Home Depot and Lowe's in every metro area, there are plenty of weekend warrior type home improvement DIY'ers.

You held onto your property, and even though it took 10 years for the value to come back for you...you also have 10 years of debt reduction during that time.

I have raised rents around 3% annually, which actually may be a little low for my area!

I think you are saying that the listing price of a house that you want is 150k, and the seller will go as low as 140k and you are trying to find out if this is a good deal.

In the past year, we started a renovation to add the second bathroom but ran out of funds (this is an attic conversion and our contractor was way low in his estimate).

Keeping a rental is cute and all but your ROE is low ($500/mo on $260k). 

I guess maybe I've been listening to too many podcasts where people have had low offers accepted.

During inspection periods we have found a $60K cost ($40K of which was fixed price by the municipality) and a $50K cost.I closed on both these properties at a reduced price (one reduced the price significantly (the ~$50K issue resulted in $46.5K reduction) and one reduced the price moderately compared to the cost (the $60K resulted in a $9K reduction)).I do not know what your earnest money is. 

Seller says B then I know it is low C maybe D.

HELOAN would only be about 14% of the equity so little risk even on a down market.I am picking 10 years as it is the point where it will allow me to cash flow monthly and it keeps the rates low enough.