The problem I had was I was competing with owner occupants who wanted it more than me. 

It is a rental that has had one owner for the past 25+ years.

My position is that the PM company has no right to hold the last month's rent, since it is rent, it belongs to the owner and owner should get paid as it is collected.

Between the paint jobs and the backsplash, I guess you could say the previous owners were not afraid to make bold design decisions... 

I recently spoke with the owner of a property who is very interested in selling. he mentioned that the property has severe foundation problems.

Some owners just do not charge for the patio and let the tenants have it as a bonus.

Ask to speak with some of their current owners and current/former tenants.

The State of NY never bothered to verify the online records for who the owner was and sent him $50K upfront for the years worth of rents.

Optimally, I'd like to seek owner financing but I don't know how much equity the current owner has.

Save up the money, improve your credit score, and buy smart.You can get lower down-payment deals through owner financing but it takes work and patience.By the way, don't make the mistake of spending your last dime to make a deal work.