You could end up with a bigger problem if she ends up sick from the heat.

The item you are referring to inside the closet within the house is the air handler and is usually a large metal box containing a blower, heating or cooling elements, Let me add that if the air handler looks old, you may want to have someone do a system check on the whole system. it's usually inexpensive and could save you if all that's needed in cleaning up.

I have saved up and inherited enough to make a down-payment on a house here, but things feel over-heated ($1,000+ /sqft!).

Hot water heater, stove, heating HVAC and kitchen sink were taken.QuestionsShould I file a claim with the insurance ? 

One unit has electrical heating, the other has gas.

There are only a handful of us nuts willing to deal with the cold - both in terms of looking at houses (the heat is never on) and getting rehabs going (takes some time to get the heat on). :-) 

That said, summerlin is the place to buy, I didn't buy there but that's because I couldn't afford a place that would house my 3 giant dogs, in a nice new place, get a yard, and be in summerlin LOL I don't know that specific subcomplex but it's in the heat of good things for sure.

I'm sure that someone will say that you need to put them in LLCs or a Corp for asset protection, etc, but that's a whole separate (and occasionally heated) debate and, in my opinion, another unnecessary expense and headache given the scope of what you are doing.I also understand your underlying motivation to build credit for the "company" so that you can get financing later for a larger property. 

Full price is 215k for a duplex in Vermont with estimated gross income of 2300/month, no immediate cost of repairs needed, also inlcudes detached two car garage with comepletely finished (no water/sewer or heat) upstairs space.

Trulia.com has crime "heat maps" that seem to be pretty good.