I think Peter covered the best course of action.

The seller is out of the picture. 

.)- All in Cost = Cost to build * Square foot  - Sales Price = All in Cost + (All in cost * 20%)* Covers contractor and soft cost on either fee based or cost+- Profit = (Sales price - (Sales Price * 7%))* - All in Cost   accounts for agent fees and closing cost- Initial List Price = Sales price + 10%      A buffer to test market absorption- Break Even being All in cost, point where everyone is paid except me. - List price is to test the market absorption at "x" price. 250k land + build.

., $700) to cover this, or are there other strategies for handling utilities in this situation?

I would be looking to use hard money to cover the costs of renovations.

Here are some pictures of the properties that I have there to get an idea of the style of properties that I have with parters.

If you generate enough money annually to dismiss a W2, then consider covering the ever increasing costs of retirement & health care and those do not go at inflation metrics but usually way higher. 

@Chris Kay finding a quality, cost-effective contractor is extremely difficult:(There are thousands of contractors that are great talkers, but rarely perform within budget.Standard bait & switch is to lowball a bid, then once they get started all sorts of things "pop up" that somehow their bid didn't cover.

Hi Shayan, You will be able to close on properties quickly and have access to rehab funds immediately if you are able to qualify for a HELOC that can cover both the purchase and rehab.You should be careful though as if you cannot sell the property or you run out of rehab funding, you may end up being over leveraged.

This includes contacting the applicant’s employer and speaking with their supervisor to confirm job stability, income, and reliability​. if the person has not been employed at their place of employment they would require a guarantorCredit Score and Debts: Applicants need a minimum credit score of 620, and while we review debts, medical debts are generally not disqualifying unless they impact overall financial health.Criminal History: We do review criminal history to ensure safety and security for our tenants, while remaining mindful of state and federal guidelines.Rental History: Positive references from past landlords, with no evictions or significant lease violations in the past five years, are essential. and we can see into the court system if they have an eviction judgement.Release of Information: We include a release form allowing us to verify employment and rental history directly, which helps us get a clearer picture of an applicant’s background.This process has worked well so far, but I’m always open to improving.