This side-by-side duplex fit the bill: separate utilities, solid rental demand in a walkable New England town, and a price point that allowed me to still cash flow after debt service.

.: Does the utility company want a deposit or pay for the infrastructure?

Make sure that all utilities are available as well. 

I know a ton of people that utilize it for a lot of their general business practice then have to review/edit a lot of the work still.

If I do that, can I still utilize the short term rental loop hole?

If you are going to buy an infill lot that’s already zoned and has utilities to site, that’ll be way faster and easier than buying ag zoned land and getting utilities and permits. - Allen

If she left the utilities on and her possessions were still present inside, you'd have a hard time making the case to a judge that she absconded.One "short cut" you could try is reaching out to her and explaining your situation with her still in legal possession of the unit and not paying rent to ask her to send you a "return of possession" notice (search it up online) to stop the accruing charges to her. 

This implies a periodic bill like virtually all other utilities. 

Another important thing is to ask about the operating expenses taxes, insurance, utilities, and maintenance so you can get a sense of the ongoing costs.

Negotiating on new construction is a different animal altogether, but there are techniques that you can utilize, especially when you are ahead of the development or negotiating with builder reps.