A burned out kitchen as a prop to sell your house?
That’s a good idea…….hmmm…tomorrow I will be cooking…….
Hmm, why wouldn’t the owner just go through insurance or just fix the kitchen back up? From front exterior, doesn’t look like badly kept at all. The idea of allowing the buyer the opportunity to have the kitchen his/her way is def extreme…
Maybe one of those “illegal” remodels? No permits, nothing done by paying a permit?
Insurance may not cover it. Right? 
If the kitchen were original, I would think the insurance company has to pay out.
So why do you think the owner has chosen to go this route instead of filing a claim with insurance (no insurance?) for kitchen and roof damages? You’re right, damages are significant that I could care less about a higher premium next year or being dropped after claim payment of course.
The owner probably filed with the insurance company already and kept the cash. The insurance company doesn’t care if you make the repairs or not.
Unless you are not smart, I wouldn’t touch that property with a 20 feet long pole.
People don’t like to know of events. This is on the radar already.
Unless you get smarter, attend the open house and mention the dead body they found there when the kitchen burned.
Opportunities come in all shapes and sizes. Obviously one needs to ask the right questions and do some careful conservative calculations to see what makes sense. I am just trying to understand if say taking the insurance money and then just selling it as-is is more profitable than fixing it up with said insurance money.
Alameda busy street. Location issues.
The bank does care
I said, I wouldn’t touch it at all. Period!