But I've read a lot about making sure your lease complies with state laws and such and EPA lead paint restrictions and on and on... its all slightly overwhelming...

House is empty and needs a tub installed, a lot of paint, and a lot of junk hauled off. 

Since she would be temporarily bothered by contractors laying tile and painting etc I added this to the lease:3.

We view this property as an ideal first home for a young family with one or two children.Comparable properties in the neighborhood range from $120k-$150K in 2010/2011 to $130K-$165K, and averaged $88/SqFt per sold home over that period.Needs: 1.New Roof - $7000-$10,0002.New Windows - $4000-$60003.Kitchen/Wall Removal (bigger eat-in kitchen) - $6000-$10,0004.Upstairs Bathroom (gut/replace) - $2500-$40005.Update Electrical - $1000-$30006.Patch/Paint Throughout - $1000-$25007.Update Front Porch (Curb Appeal) - $1000-$20008.Floors (Sand/Stain Downstairs) - $1000-$15009.Floors (Replace Upstairs) - $1500-$2500Addition: (6’x15’ Mudroom/Laundry/Half Bath off rear of house) This addition would help attract absolute top dollar by providing space for a first floor laundry room, an additional first floor half bath, and mudroom at rear entrance from garage.

I could easily get $650/month for these units as is, and could almost certainly get $750/month if I put in some new carpet and painted.

Is it possibe for me to take them down, spray paint them back white, and put them up again?

So, I suspect you didn't paint the whole picture, like getting paid to do it!

Their children did draw on the walls, but who cares, its just paint.

Plus, the fire department found that several windows in our house are painted shut and one of our smoke detectors has a dead battery.This post and its title is a reminder to all of the landlords on BiggerPockets, especially third-party property managers, that we are responsible for owners' property and tenants' lives.  

Expenses up to $2,500 are deductible in the current year unless they are part of a larger component such as a basement remodel.We would depreciate flooring separate(if under 2,500 we would deduct it in the current year).But lets say you finish a basement involving framing, drywall, paint, flooring, drop ceiling, etc.Flooring would be handled as listed above.