Get a bad tenant and you are screwed. 

If you have two months or more in vacancy or a major repair needed you are screwed!!!

Therefore, he should have no reason to try to screw me, but he obviously also needs to make a living.

Sitting down with the first person to explain how the contract works, advising how I am not trying to screw you out of your property, and most of all, understanding why someone should trust a stranger with temporary ownership of their property by contract.

But we've had so many little screw-ups and hassles along the way of trying to settle what ought to be this exceedingly simple estate that at this point we're expecting everything to be more complex and/or annoying than it has to be.Thanks!

Everyone screwed for the IRS to clearly state what determined "trade or business" with regard to real estate activities- they didn't provide it then either. 

So that means CPA letter, get creative, or possible loan denial.Some CPAs do not like writing these letters, I do not know or care why - I only care that it screws with my clients' livelihoods, which means it's something that I need to nuke from orbit with extreme prejudice.

Most people aren't trying to screw other people over, but we do happen it live in a law suit happy nation - and one of the highest litigated professions in that country, too. 

Some may be easier to communicate with, but they all screw you in the end.

If the plaster is pulling away from the lath (horse hair and glue eventually fails), you may  be able to use drywall screws and buttons (washes) to pull it back in-place.