I've found that an oil based strong smelling cleaner with pine or citrus gets rid of the smell of smoke on hard surfaces.

That all being said, this SOUNDS on the surface like an opportunity of a lifetime.   

You can buy homes the old fashion way--with an agent through MLS listings, you can buy a home from the owner without a realtor, you can buy homes at auction, there are probably more ways...Can you be more specific?

Call me old fashion but I think it's all a scam!

How did it compare to just building the old fashioned way as far as price etc.?

What I will do is give you an illustrative story, and maybe you can bring your knowledge up a little.Big Apartments LLC - a manager managed LLC with two members.Member #1 is You (Patrick), the Manager (and also a Member), you have put $500 into the LLC and own 50 Membership Units (a 50% owner).Member #2 is your brother in-law (lets call him Richard Smith) he is not the manager (although he could be a co-manager but is not because that's the way you two want it).Richard has also put $500 into the LLC and own 50 Membership Units (a 50% owner).You two guys are 50/50 owners of Big Apartments LLC, evidenced by your Membership Certificates (which look a little like old fashioned stock certificates but are not stock shares).The company has $1,000 in the kitty and since Richard won at Poker last night he's flush with cash, $1,000.You and Richard agree that he can lend the LLC $1,000 (that's in addition to his already put in $500).Since this is only a loan it does not effect his ownership percentage of the company.

White would seem to go in the more cottagey old fashioned homes, while Black seems (to me) to be more modern.There are also different shades of SS available, like gray and bronze, depends how expensive you want to get....

I've seen lots of little spots where somehow the surface was damaged.

There are quite a few multi-family properties that are very low priced that I would like to get started with, and the numbers look good to me on the surface (other than these ridiculous property taxes)... but can anyone add insight on expected vacancy percentages, expected annual rent increases, or issues with city inspections, etc?

Are hard surfaced roads needed;  Concrete or asphalt-  Cost of entrances must be offset by units.