What exactly can you do as a pro member that you can't do as a non-pro member?

Are you putting a non-existent down payment in to get your IRR and other metrics?

If it is a non-issue, I would write them a formal response stating that the stairway was built to code, decline to reimburse them and remind them that they had ample opportunity to inspect and measure prior to signing the lease.  

For condos also be sure that you talk with a lender who knows how to work with non-warrantable loans.

Rents on those properties were basically break-even or very small cash flow, but that's figuring in all real expenses, including a repair reserve.I don't mind a non-cash-flow property if a tenant is paying my mortgage and building my equity in the place, and if I have it for free.

The above covered squatters, but if it's a tenant hopefully they're month to month and you can non-renew their lease and just see them out, but otherwise you can evict for non-payment of rent (whatever it may be) as they're likely to not pay you.  

I'm just a broker with non-traditional working hours. :-)  You also may want to consider joining a company that has a real estate team structure. 

no equity sub too is a fools errand in a non appreciating market .. or a rental market that is not bullet proof.. you could =go negative cash flow in a hurry and you jeopardize the seller if you can't carry the property if the rent does not come in

He took it as is and gave me his non refundable cash deposit on the spot.

If you collect so much as one dime as rent, you kill your right to evict based upon non-payment.