In my experience, the only thing that truly works over nicotine staining and smoke smell is a true Shellac primer.   

Just saying its a bigger world than presenting a hard and fast rule implies.Jonathan and Caleb, the phrase: "equity in properties can be "leveraged" in other ways than debt" doesn't gel with me.

But you can circumvent this all buy just buying the assets and reselling that is what you want to do.But keep poking around I am sure something will gel for you .. . but do check out Gary.. you will be amazed at all the low end real estate.. and then your next thought process will be WHY HOW WHy and how can I buy homes for under 5k each..

The letter states move in date (which they have wrong by 4 years), original deposit of 475.00, then total deductions of 8000 (which they also added wrong, they added 100 nonrefundable  pet deposit and 7000 Nicotine Smoke Damages to arrive at total of 8k), with an asterisk stating *Pending additional  charges to be determined.  

Better is to define the relationship upfront and then if you both gel together and have the same goals then take on the client.If not just say it upfront but on both sides some people are not straight talkers and have a hard time expressing themselves.

Sometimes with smoke, there's a nasty yellow nicotine haze everywhere.

Whereas the nicotine will just stay in the walls etc and not disipate over time.

I've found that some of the glue gels sold (vistaprint) have too much gel and envelopes stick together if you don't let it dry.

Used Bullseye Primer (2 coats) which got rid of the nicotine stains but, the smell was still there.

All new clothes all the time, carwash at least twice a week, put styling gel in his hair.