I'll definitely look into it

The common saying you get what you pay for definitely justifies higher rent as my focus is to differentiate the properties with quality and customer service. 

Not knowing anything about the Birmingham market or any retail prices, it sounds like you have a potential good deal here (assuming the price is bid up to X% more) and is definitely worth you setting your max price and making your bid at the auction.

When you first acquire a property, you should get to know your inherited tenants before you contemplate upgrading their units ... you definitely figure out if you want to keep them before  you upgrade anything in their unit.    

Definitely not #3 because the bank could call the loan and you'd have way too much money down anyway

@Chase Gochnauer Definitely do not include depreciation expense in your valuation.

Will definitely utilize the steps.  

If you're patient we can definitely find something that will work for you!

Our town is mostly Christian so I would be contacting a few churches, but there's also a Sikh gurdwara here who I would love to contact, and definitely my Pagan buddies would be finding out about it too.Any thoughts?

First of all, if they are thinking about selling a home subject-to the existing mortgage, they will definitely want to make sure to do so with an investor and not a person who wants to live in the property.