Alec McGinn I think the reason your confused is because you haven’t crunched the numbers carefully enough There are two big reasons properties in need of repair are usually a better deal than similar properties of the same type and class that don’t need repairs .

The agent thinks the smell maybe from a dead mice or squirrel and that I should contact an exterminator to take care of the problem.Anyone have had a similar situation? 

How long have the tenants occupied, what they pay for rent, do they have any deposits, are pets allowed (or have they ever been allowed), who handles lawn care, what does the owner pay for utilities, have there been any lease violations or noise complaints, do the tenants pay on time...Those are some examples.

The property i'm looking into shows a dog bite on the records in recent history.

I want some of the same things we all would like, which is to take care of my family/build a legacy, to have an enjoyable life and travel, to give to others and make an actual impact on people's live and of course, not have to worry so much about retirement.

The way to go about it is to create win-win-win situations, and to listen carefully to your motivated sellers to eke out why they are selling and what their sticking points are.

Take care not to disturb it. 

Is there anyone out there that would care to explain the closing process to me, or help me to get a better understanding?

Our ISA is responsible for calling owners of properties that our bird dogs identify as distress (I go into a little more detail about are the off-market system in this post: https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/311/topics/55...).

We like the vibes of the area as there are always people out and about in the neighborhood exercising,  or walking their dog etc.