Worth noting, both of these instances are with really bad tenants (not paying, causing damage, overall terrible individuals) so my compassion meter for coronavirus is on a .5 out of 100.  

I haven't seen any coverage on this from a reputable source.

If not, you might want to learn what damage they are accused of causing assuming they have a deposit in the current rental.

The siding is already damaged in back - so if it is worth it we are considering installing new siding everywhere, but aren't sure what style and color would be best for this style house.

You can get more bang for your buck by combining house-hacking with the BRRRR strategy.Where to go from here:-Find an investor-friendly Realtor - check here - members -Get pre-approved for financing - your Realtor can recommend a lender or you can use the members tab to find someone in your market who has a reputation here on BP.

Currently, I don't think the water that is sitting is doing any damage, but it doesn't take much rain to pool up.

I charged them appropriately for the damages.  

Does the contract consider EM as liquidated damages? 

What happens when they move out and there is damage?

It’s is in no way reputable any more in many instances.Pay now or pay later...plus construction is like sausage: you don’t want to be around when it’s being made.