I was trying to move out of my moms house. all it needed was removal of trash and items in the house and a paint job.

All capex Items except the roof (was redone right before I bought it), flooring, paint, landscaping, toilets, faucets, light fixtures, door hardware, outlets..... you name it we probably updated it.

Consider the items above before you choose to not invest in you local market which also happens to historically be one of the best markets in the US.Good luck

In some cases a tenant can even deduct the cost of repairs from rent, if the landlord doesn't perform after requesting repair on essential items require to make the property habitable. 

I believe the owner is going to be open to carrying back a second mortgage if I want to go that route.

Just an itemized Scope of Work detail.  

If you look at each item individually VS all of them as a group it generally becomes clear what needs to be done. 

Sit down with the guy and draw up a new contract that is extremely specific and has everything itemized, including an exact finish date.

It is seasoned investors that can just tell a contractor what items they want. , colors, etc.I like the old beat up van!!!"

For example, warranty repair on a refrigerator probably pays half what an appliance tech typically charges, so they're losing money working on your warranty item.