Definitely have a lot of homework and due diligence to do!  

Hi Marcus,Doing the homework and aligning the style of the home to comparable homes getting the top rent is definitely important.

No its not common, however RE is all about math, if it makes sense to pay them then do so. 

If you want to invest out of state, make sure you do your homework well and assemble a reliable team of experts.Remember that there isn't a single solution that works for everyone, and prosperous investors have used both in-state and out-of-state tactics.

Try looking at it a slightly different way with some quick math:$900,000 sales price$22,500 cost of purchase (appraisal, points, lender fees, title fees, etc - 2.5%)$90,000 cost of sale (10% commissions, closing costs, buyer credits)$64,000 carrying costs (6 months at 10%)$25,000 additional carrying costs (6 months taxes, utilities, HOA, misc)$100,000 rehab cost (the number used above)$68,500 profit = $530,000 max allowable offer.Some numbers may be a bit high, others may be a bit low. 

Just make sure you don't over pay… That's a math calculation. 

Do your homework – ask folks, read reviews, and compare.

I recommend a simple spreadsheet to check your math and it will make it simple to adjust each year.End the complaints.

Am I off with my math here?

You have done some homework and I applaud that.