how do you prioritize your home projects when under budget constraints and they are of equal importance or unimportance?

I’m a fan of lists for this type of thing. Include how many hours of work and cost today and the costs and time if you skip it for a couple years. As in peeling exterior paint is cheap today, but if not addressed, you’re replacing boards for much more time and cost.

how do you deal with the overwhelm/frustrations of previous owner issues or poor workmanship?

They were trying their best to keep it in decent shape. Just as you will do the same.

their pets urinated in every room with carpet

There is a product called “Nature’s Miracle”. It has an enzyme that removes urine smell from carpet. It’s sold at pet stores or online. Get the gallon size to start.

A lot of things in life are perpetual changing.

Some day the pendulum will swing back to pro intellectual. Once people comprehend the damage the just like me leadership has done.