I would like to avoid refinancing if possible because my current mortgages have extremely low rates (these were originally purchased as owner-occupied properties).

EDUCATE YOURSELF - yes, it will take time, but will lead to a selection that better meets your expectations & avoids potentially costly surprises!

One source of cities to avoid is Neighborhood Scout's 100 most dangerous cities.Disaster Risk - Some parts of the country suffer frequent natural disasters.

My first thought would be to get it sub to.You would be helping her save her credit by avoiding foreclosure.

You may not be able to avoid the exclusions but knowing what the impact may allow you to shift the risk (using licensed and insured subs, specialists in environmental remediation, etc)

EDUCATE YOURSELF - yes, it will take time, but will lead to a selection that better meets your expectations & avoids potentially costly surprises!

Rental real estate is traditionally an excellent medium-to-long-term investment from a financial standpoint. But the idea of dealing with difficult tenants is at or near the top of the list of why many investors do no...

The reason investors are able to avoid this tax on investment properties is that they can use a 1031 like-kind exchange which defers the capital gains tax. 

Can this be considered an exclusion after i sell it next november to avoid cap gains? 

@Timothy Burnes Don't do it. 10-20k in equity is not worth all those issues.Bed bugs are a significant defect that can take either $5000 and tenting the whole building for heat treatment, which requires vacating the tenants or getting them hotel rooms for a few nights, or a sustained program of prevention with bed risers, leg traps, sealed mattress bags, and the tenants need to keep it up for.. get ready for it.. 6 months, which is how long they can live without a meal.Sewage in the basement could be a big issue if you have a sewer backup problem.The sinking toilet sounds like it needs immediate attention, but at least that's a straightforward repair.The other issues are what I would consider "normal" as in, you could fix them but don't need to in order to make the place liveable.Based on the bed bugs alone I would avoid... if you are comfortable with this level of rehab you should be getting a way better deal.