Here in California, land improvements including underground utilities (water, sewer, electric, gas) and paved roads are very expensive.

Most landlords would love tenants to stay, as they don't want to pay for new tenant improvements and commissions.

If you could put less down with the owner, it might allow you to put the rest of your cash into improvements.

When we were discussing the improvements with the accountant, she stated that we should only be including the improvements done since it was made avail. to rent (several renovations were done) for depreciation considerations.

My 15k cashlow per month will be after all expenses such as capital improvements, Maint, vehicles and all the other write off s

Get a credit report, see how it looks, take 6 months or more to improve it.

He currently works at a home improvement store in their commercial sales area, so he talks to a lot of the local flippers and it is something that he has become very interested in.

Any thoughts on what the improvements would cost?

I want to be the best I can be in doing it and improving the value of the properties.

You can ask them if there is any improvements you can do to the house to keep them as a tenant.