Estimating rehab costs during initial analysis out of state

[Michael Colello]

Hi BP, no matter how many times I re-read David Greene's "Long-Distance Real Estate Investing" book, I still have trouble understanding how to quickly estimate rehab costs when you are looking at multiple different potential deals being sent over from out of state.  
I am currently looking at properties in Montgomery and Indianapolis (I live in San Diego) where some of the deals fit the 1% rule at first glance which warrants deeper analysis but this is where I get hung up...  I can see through pictures that some parts of the house could use a touch up, paint, new appliances, or tile in the bathroom but I'm having trouble quickly understanding what this number would be and what I should make as an initial offer. 

I understand the concept of having your contractor go in and getting an itemized scope of work, estimate materials and labor, but by the time this is done, one of you other OOS investors already swooped in and took the deal ;)   As we all know...a good deal will go quick, so I think the skill of being able to quickly estimating these rehab numbers when analyzing a "good" deal,  especially being out of state, is absolutely critical. Do I ask my RE agent, contractor, PM to help?  

Thanks for reading through and any insight would be greatly appreciated!

[Michael Plante]

Why are you not looking local?