I've never known the military to rent on behalf of a service member; they have their own accommodations/properties so that is not the standard MO. 

@Carl Kallgren IVI have seen the opposite where a CPA suggested the wrong structure that had to be scrapped by the real estate attorney.What you want is team of experts in real estate, tax, asset protection and estate planning who are working together to get a comprehensive plan for you.

Now, this doesn't mean that after your inspection, you send out a long laundry list of things to the sell side and expect them to accommodate everything because that 10 times out of 10 just won't happen.

As an example, here's the definition from Stone County, MO:  "Bed-and-breakfast facility, also known as B&B, means a private home in which guests are accommodated in private bedrooms with private bathrooms, or in a suite of rooms including an en suite bathroom, or in private bedrooms with a bathroom that is shared with other guests.

One way to manage risk is to create a comprehensive punch list to annex onto the contract, which provides for an itemized list of all renovations to be done.

Trying to accommodate their scheduling requirements seems to have backfired on me.  

PA law is vague as too what is commercial even if you intended to build residential units on the vacant land.The term "commercial property" means (1) any building, structure or facility, or portion thereof, which is used, occupied or is intended, arranged or designed to be used or occupied for the purpose of operating a business, an office, a manufactory or any public accommodation; and (2) any vacant land offered for sale, lease or held for the purpose of constructing or locating thereon any such building, structure, facility, business concern or public accommodation.Will your Dad be part of this lawsuit?

There are, should be, plenty of estate planning / legal structures to accommodate this AND be tax efficient. 

Its very common to upgrade to a 200 amp panel in order to accommodate using full size breakers, and eliminate "twins", "slims" or double tapped breakers.The material difference between the 2 panels is minimal and the labor is typically comparable.

I’d come to the table with a comprehensive list of what the property in “finished” condition looks like.