He reminds me of a contractor, was he a contractor in the past? 

If your bills are equal to the $1,500, then it is a wash.

I finally took their call and told the sales germ how fed up I was. He

You can wash out the investment property expense with a lease or Tax Returns. 

I have seen investors try to use this as a marketing tactic to attract tenants quickly, but it NEVER works out as planned.Tenants will start filling up makeshift swimming pools, open a part-time car wash on the lawn, and allow friends and family come over to do laundry!!

My name is Samuel and last month I parted ways with corporate America after 9 years at the same employer, working as a General Manger for a car wash. 

Since I have not had use of the dishwasher for the last six months, I now have no where to wash dishes but in the bathroom sink.

So by the time I charge for those changes is almost always a wash on cost if I had done a custom design for them from scratch. 

It's a rental and he's pretty much washed his hands of it from what the renters tell me.

Well, that money will be taxed at some point anyway, so I consider that a wash.  10% penalty on down payment is usually around a grand, so I don't worry too much about it, if the CoC return is still good.I do ALL the rehab, repairs, maintenance and whatever, unless I have to call an AC guy.