I have had several companies come out and give bids to install a drain tile system to fix leaking at the cove along the front wall of my basement.  One of them says I need to do the entire perimeter of the basement bu...

First of all, congrats on working your way back out of a hole - it's not easy to do. 

I have an elderly customer that wants to repair a decent-sized hole in her ceiling.

Thank you for helping poke holes in this, as this is my first deal ever!

With it raining all the time the ground gets soaked and has no break to dry out so the water has no where else to go, so it just finds holes that are open for water to travel to. 

This time the government will not be able to float the note for homeowners who are upside down.I have $350K burning a hole in my pocket to purchase a new house in Palm Coast Florida.

So here's my question, would the contract for deed be a "loop hole" to get out of the capital gains tax and be a better proposal strategy to getting me the home?

Often all you need in those cases is a plan set showing the site plan, a utility plan, a drainage/grading plan and details/notes etc. 

You can also poke holes in the drywall lid of the bottom unit and spray in insulation in each bay to help both reduce sound and help energy efficiency but you then also have drywall patch and paint on top of the insulation cost.

Had also considered a duplex down, but the basement ceilings are only 6'4", which would require a dig down, which brings in a whole host of other issues like having to have escape windows below grade for code, and all the attendant drainage issues that would come along with that.