But it would've been a LOT worse if you did all that work and the deal fell though and you ended up with nothing but a funny story. 

That being said you gotta fell sorry for the old guy. 

My last purchase almost fell through because the sellers removed showers from the bathrooms.

I have asked this question many times, and it fell on deaf ears.  

any spring 2013 yearly meeting I tried to bring to peoples attention the problem with drugs and prostitution run amok in my building in particular.

It seems like the nice places like Fells Point, Charles Village, most of South Baltimore (Locus Point, Fed Hill, etc), Canton, are all expensive and offer poor options for cash-flow.

Most fell off.

These sellers, although they're property is on the market have a slightly more passionate urge to get a deal done, after-all they were just fully committed to a deal that fell through.

The market fell a bit more through 2011 (could have got my same house for $165k or so then) and they sold the last new house of 135 lots in 2012 or early 13.

Although I haven't been able to lock another property as of late (just fell out of contract, but in hindsight, probably good as it was overpriced for the location), it has inspired me to continue to make offers, analyze deals, and take action.