It's tempting to want to bring a GC with you, but if this is your first I wouldn't recommend it. I know that almost sounds backwards, because you want someone with expertise. But the thing is, you're likely going to have to look at a lot of deals - a LOT - before you find one that works. And it's not feasible to take your GC to all of them. Unless your brother or best friend is a GC and is willing to just do it out of the goodness of their own heart or because they want to partner with you, you'll probably burn them out. It can also take quite a bit of time to walk your site. We always do a quick walk through to decide if there are any obvious deal killers. If we decide we're interested, then we take measurements on that same trip so we know how to estimate material costs like flooring, new roof, drywall, etc. It's very important to measure the sq. ftg of each room - you won't get that detail off the MLS and what's listed on the MLS is often inaccurate anyway. So bring a tape measure and write it down! Also, count windows and doors - those costs really add up and they almost always need to be replaced. Look at the roof. If it needs to be replaced try to see if there's one layer or two - older homes almost always have two layers and this is important because it adds to your demo costs. Look at your big ticket items like HVAC, furnace, swamp cooler, water heater and garage doors. We always sketch out a layout of the house, too. And be sure to look in the attic to see if it needs insulation and check for leaks, basement for leaks and water infiltration and crawl space. Check out your utility panel to see if it's new or has to be replaced. Appliances can add up, too, but used appliances are usually ok for a rental whereas homebuyers expect new. These are the big ticket items that will help you decide if the numbers still work for you. If they do, then yes, get an inspector out there to look for any fatal flaws or things you can't just eyeball. You'll usually end up spending $150-$250 for an inspection but it's worth it so you know what you're working with. Then, if you still like it, I would get a contractor out there. Just for comparison, we easily looked at 50 houses before we got our first deal accepted so it was a lot of analysis, but we got better at it every time. Good luck!