It's quite possible the owner may just be testing the waters with you. 

Hi Jessie,Maybe think about having an Asbestos test for the popcorn ceiling, drywall and the joint tape.Good  Luck!

Focusing on the "Important but not emergency" things to build the business - things like expanding web presence, building out an investor platform, developing systems to increase efficiency and workload capability, etc.When I'm in the office, it's pretty intense.

Test the waters without, and gauge the response.

Do I need a perk test?

A way we discussed to get around this is by doing FHA 203K (even for a very small renovations) and then the underwriter will let assume high enough rents for the deal to meet the self sufficiency test and pass underwriting. 2) FHA is excluded from self sufficiency test for legal 2 units.

Either way it’s easy to give them a test drive.

you can test a market, and get out easily if you need to, or switch to a new location.1b) the overall return may be higher if you buy, IF you buy @ the right price (make a ton of offers and get a good deal/ find a motivated seller), and IF your property appreciates.2) if you are doing rent-to-rent (this is how I was able to leave my job and begin a career investing in real estate), then you need to network with brokers and landlords. 

(I haven't decided whether I want to keep the ones that are under 10 years owned and revisit. ) There are a couple other search options I am thinking of using as well; whether or not I keep building the list will really be based on how many pass the equity test.  

Second you have to meet the substantial improvement test to qualify when you buy a property in the Ozone.