I was not aware that a manual pull station is required, but I've confirmed with the fire department that in mixed-use buildings, a pull station is required that is hardwired to sound an alarm in the rental unit(s). 

The worst part was that they had a baby living in the house with them, after we bombed the place there was over 1000 dead roaches, and I found a live snake behind the hot water heater 4 feet from a mattress that was laying on the floor that someone was sleeping on.  

You'll do this for everything in the home that requires replacement: interior paint (4 years), flooring (12 years if you use 12 mil LVP), roof (20 years), hot water heater (10 years), oven, washer, dryer, garbage disposal, microwave and so on. 

That wouldn't require a license, BUT if you do poorly with managing the property you could lose money!

If so, most states require you honor those terms until it ends.

Now we will have to put in some rehab during to severe water damage and general updates.

"If the tenant requires early termination of the lease, rent and deposit are nonrefundable"c.

even back in 2002 when i started funding out of state buy and hold folks.. not exactly sure on eviction but I know for sure you could not turn off the utls and they run with the land  so many tenants simply do not pay their water bill and such in that city as they know it can be turned off. 

and is there a way to avoid the withholding requirement?

By the time you add in ice&water shield, vents and supplies, you are close to $250 / square in materials alone.