Me and my buyer go running down the front porch stairs literally tripping over one-another as the water heater goes flying out the front door in-between us, breaks through the wood fence, and lands on the sidewalk. 

(Harper Woods and Saint Clair Shores) we are up to 11 rooms in three different houses.

I had a wood deck on a flat rubber roof that needed to be removed to replace the roof.

Austin Jacob wood There's no secret formula, it's all about your personal risk profile, desire for liquidity, if you want to put in sweat equity, etc.

Problem is, this place has pretty bad rot on the exterior wood siding.

That being said we bring manufacturing jobs back as well as stoping China from stealing our businesses technology that will go along ways to increase wages and jobs in places like your neck of the woods Ohio.  

I know in TX and other southwestern states there are concerns about stacks of wood, rocks, etc that can attract undesirable animals like snakes.

Paint the outside for $4kReplace wood siding with aluminum or vinyl? 

Front porch has a wood privacy screen.

I'm in the same stage you are...although my wife and I are meeting with a turnkey provider tomorrow to review the properties they manage (getting to see work under way and finished product) on the South Side of Chicago.We're down in Shorewood and my wife still works in Bolingbrook..so same neck of the woods!