Dealing with codes is such a pain.Any recommendations would be appreciated!

They said that i have to have the plumber come and bring the house up to code and install a handgate valve. 

In Philly we have "variances" to the zoning code.

But Realtor.com also sells zip codes to agents to have their name listed as a referral.

I did have one house with horrible tenants and code enforcement threatened to call the house uninhabitable - which tosses out the occupants immediately. 

Are there any zip codes, or other geographic markers that signify the "better" areas to invest?

I know there's been some recent changes to Joshua Tree laws/code in 2020 and was curious.

Zip code 27703 starts just across the Wake County line as you pass Brier Creek and on down into downtown Durham.

The bathroom floor and part of the subfloor in the hall and kitchen would have to come-up; the wall between the bathroom and hallway and across the end of the hall would be going back to the studs; the common wall between this apartment and the adjacent unit would need to be brought up to current {fire} code; the ductwork for the HRV needed to be replaced; and three of the existing windows had broken thermo panes.We also planned to improve the energy efficiency of much of the envelope during this renovation - the amount would depend upon what we found behind the drywall.What we found:The damage to the subfloor on both levels was more extensive than forecasted and I wasted two weeks, and a few hundred dollars in materials, over the holidays in December trying to remove the smell of pet urine (ozone, enzymes, sealant, etc).  

Welcome to BP @Tyler Stamets,look under the "Network" tab, you will find BP members in a 5 miles radius around your zip code.