Negotiation and deal making are the not an exact science attributes of purchasing but they should be based on objective consideration.Your offer for a flip property should be:Offer + closing costs = (ARV - Selling costs) - Desired Profit - Holding Costs - rehab costs - purchasing costsYou can do everything purchasing from a wholesaler as you can with a realtor, you just have to know the process since no one is representing you.

I would attribute this to a couple factors. 

The use of leverage in an IRA does create a small tax exposure where the percentage of the income attributed to the non-IRA money (borrowed capital) is taxable, but the applicable deductions make the net tax impact pretty nominal.  

No one on here can tell you based on the info provided...Here in San Diego for these types of new developments (urban in fill is a whole other discussion), those improvements would either 1) be completed by the developer as a part of the project 2) be completed by the developer as part of the project, but reimbursed IF they were approved as reimbursable projects 3) if not directly attributed to the project and not completed by the developer, they would be conditioned so that the developments could not move past certain mile stones before improvements were completed (e.g. before unit 500 XYZ must be completed).Generally the developer moves much faster than the City and therefor wants to complete them on their own...BUT the City doesn't reimburse projects planned in FY 2030 just because you completed in 2020.

Being patient, thinking outside the box and being self reflective are great personal attributes to thrive in this game.

people buy space so there may be some unrealized value to the space and some that would be attributed to better finishes and such.For financing there are mortgages that allow you to finance the rehab of the property but you usually still need 20% equity in the property. 

@Bjorn Ahlblad I just took the difference between cash flow numbers and attributed a value to a mortgage spread out over 30 years.

Can someone recommend a lender that will look at a properties specific attributes & numbers rather than my lack of credit history in America?  

Hi Mel, whether this is a homerun or not will be very specific to the location/configuration of the two sites, how much value is attributed to the two homes vs the land, and any easements either property may have.

@David Feder you need to come up with a higher cash contribution or partner with someone who has these attributes - ideally someone who qualifies as an ‘acredditied investor.’