(You might not want to try this approach if you are a soft sale because they will be very good at what they do, and they are a good option for people desperate to sell who want to offload a problem).Partnering with an expert is not a bad idea if they have a proven track record, can sell the property without paying listing commissions (they will need to be licensed) and if they will put the renovation money up and manage it. 

I have approached some local banks in Indy and may need to go that route again.I will reach out to Wells Fargo.  

These includes housewares such as towels and linens as well as furniture.

Your ROI is decent at 13.9% but doesn't increase to well at end of loan payoff.  

And this does take a LOT of work to do--you have to clean and prep your whole house, lock up stuff you don't want sitting out, put out guest sheets and towels and other linens, etc.

My goal is to leverage my soft skills when I negotiate purchase price with seller and focus the transaction on relationship and help instead of price.  

Here in Denver for smaller units (1000-1400sf) we are all in (Hard & Soft costs) in the $180-$200/sf range.

That's not including soft costs such as carry, architectural, structural and utility engineering, etc.  

Look for soft/rotted wood or siding;  especially near the ground.  

This is especially true in the over $200,000 market which is soft due to all the oil layoffs.Houston also seems to be the "in" place to be for investors from all over the country.