Second, typically even if properties are in great shape you still will want to spend some money on repairs, typically one of the better ways to make money in real estate is to find properties that can have value added to them, via hiring contractors to do repairs and improve the property. 

It's not worth it in the long-term to be unethical as you should be focusing on building long-term relationships, next time the realtor has a great deal, he could relay that information over to you but if you decide to cut him out of this, there's no chance they'll ever work with you in the future.

Any amounts paid to improve a building, its structural components, or a "building system" is an improvement to the building. 

This way you will have a better fighting chance of not getting that fine. 

Just trying to mitigate risk and increase chances of profit in the future and while stumbling across real estate I realized it’s something that greatly interest me and I enjoy studying, researching and participating in it.

Thankfully, the house had been improved over the two years prior to illness, so there was a newer roof, A/C and PVC windows.  

You came here, and you'll get to know this remarkable little community in this most unusual corner of the Web better, and you'll give yourself a real chance to turn that inheritance into exactly what your parents would have wanted most for you and yours, lifelong financial security and freedom.

Getting that curly W is super for motivation.You might also consider adding Land Trust to your toolbox as a means to improve anonymity and for ease of transfer since you can simply assign beneficial interest. 

On the flip side, we've been shown houses that are in bad neighborhoods with no sign of improvement in the next 10 years, 1/2 way through an owner performed "remodel" that made the house considerably worse, cinderblock houses that will never have any appreciation, and the like.

I have the property and the property pays for its self, I need to consider way to improve real estate.