Before a first transaction, I would definitely recommend learning about the characteristics of a GOOD and profitable flip deal.

I asked customer support and they stated because every county records different data and characteristics.

Each state consists of various towns with varied rental and home purchase characteristics.

This spreadsheet assumes that the adjustment amounts are characteristic of the neighborhood and are inherent in the comparable sales data, negating the need for an individual judgement call.

Is it customary to include comps in the manner this appraiser did, given the condition and characteristics of my properties?

Most of the time this fee is set in stone and can’t be affected by credit, experience, or characteristics of the property.One more factor that should be given importance would be the time it takes fora hard money lender to fund the loan.

We definitely want something in the mid price range with great durable characteristics.

I still pay for the equity filter, but geography, property characteristics, Owner Occupied filters are all free.  

But to the OP I would say that you will make very little for that investment if you buy cosmetically rehabbed houses in crappy neighborhoods from people who pretend that rentals can be run with no expenses, that a coat of paint but no appliances or major systems replaced justifies the highest rent in the neighborhood, and that comps should be selected from houses with similar prices rather than houses with similar characteristics.

Its strategic location links a highly educated workforce to exceptional retail, residential and commercial facilities - Lake Pointe provides an excellent opportunity to exploit these unique characteristics."