Since you say the area has no shade at all and gets a goodly amount of sun in summer, you might have to wait until the fall....when there is less competition from weeds...more chance grass seed wil take...and the cooler weather will encourage grass to grow in from the edges. As I see it, you should plan on overseeding and to that, you might in the days from now until then, continue to rake and keep the area clear of buildup of thatch--although 1/2" of thatch is OK...can help keep the soil surface somewhat cooler. Buy a good quality grass seed that fits your circumstances. A 1/2" layer of topsoil or compost over the area can be given now and over time it can feed the area. As it does, more enrichment can be given to invite the seed later germinating better. A 1/2" say....every month between now and mid September when the seeding would be done. Ever thought of giving the area some shade? Its a large area you picture....a few trees...don't have to be large ones...no fruit trees please..they're too messy....but a few flowering trees might go there nicely. Evergreens always have a place in the sun.

Assuming that you are dealing with varnish somewhere in the carb, where you can't see it, you might be able to solve the problem by adding gum-out or something similar to the gas tank, getting the engine started using the primer button, and keeping it running by priming it manually every few seconds, when it starts to slow down. I was able to get our lawnmower going this spring, when it would start, but not idle. It takes about an hour of operation for the cleaning solvent to do its work. Eventually, the engine should idle on its own. If you try this method, and you are successful, then you can be sure that it was varnish that caused the problem. There are other possibilities, however. There could be a mechanical problem with the throttle, or there could be an air leak somewhere, causing a lean mixture. There is a slight chance that the carburetor has something blocking fuel flow that will not dissolve, like a metal filing, or some other foreign material.

Did you give it a good airing? An airing of leaving the windows open day and night as long as it isn't raining. If you did, Since the carpet is gone, odds are the urine is down into the plywood subfloor, it is labor and money but it would probably fix the smell. You have to think hard and do the math on what you paid for it, what you want to spend, and what you can sell it for. How old is the furnace, the AC, the water heater? Are the kitchen cabinets 22 years old etc..? Since, it "has been trashed (holes in walls and so on)" and it smells so bad. Another thing to do the math on is if it wouldn't cost less to just haul it to the dump and sell the land as "1/2 acre ready for your double wide." At 22 years old, where I live, it is past its life and the only real asset is the 1/2 acre.

Sigh…. Its size for the space is partly why I didn’t buy it the first time I saw it a month or more ago. I do have a couple of other places I could put it, but I already have pieces I am cleaning up / repairing for those spots. Plus I do need a home for the magazines. If it is not easy to put them away, I know I won’t. If I don’t use this piece there, I will have to bring back the small table I had there before, whose wood does not match. I agree that it does look like it was originally part of a gentleman’s dresser, and was taken off. My piece has a new (ish) floor which you can see inside the door section. Someone went to a lot of trouble, as the addition is done very well, actually set into tongue and groove strips. Plus they added round metal feet of the kind you hammer in. I put felt pads on those immediately so I can slide it out without damaging my hardwood floor. I could add legs to elevate it, but that would be yet another project to add to a long list. I’ll use it where it is for now (sideways) and wait for inspiration to strike as to a possible other location. Finish color is best in that room, though.