Conventional financing guidelines are vague when an appraiser has to call the various items you mention. 

The store my daughter worked at ended up being taken away from the franchisee. 

In fact, that is a pretty contentious item in this community.  

You cant report some income/expense on schedule E and carve out the interest expense from the line of credit and call it an investment activity and an itemized deduction on schedule A.

Expenses are an income statement item, repairs go to the assets of the balance sheet and capitalized.

I have sold many condos and have only had clients have issues with making interior changes if the change would negatively impact a neighbor, cause noise at inconvenient times or in the Pearl where there are can be a lot of restrictions on interior changes as they can cause structural issues (for example some buildings don't allow you to hang heavy items with maully bolts because of building envelope issues).  

That bank folded, and it was bought by Wells Fargo.I called Wells, and they said the home would be eventually listed on the HUD Home Store.

I broke your question into the following items and will address each one as best as I can.Should you manage your own properties?

My back door doesn't openUnreasonable "honey do" list or items that can hit the back burner.......way in the back1.

Materials - could have saved on a bunch of items, now that we know where to go (we bought all the materials and also did the landscaping).