I rented the Duplexes for 20 years and at the end, per apartment, the 2/1, 700 sq. foot apartments, with off street parking and side yards, Central AC, all fixed up, etc. were rented for $800 each.

For you to be in the 300 K range ,what are you figuring per square foot ? 

It sounds like these people are starting to be your friends but the landlord-tenant relationship is kind of a false friendship because you are not on equal footing.

I will take your advice and look for a way to get my foot in the door.

Your resale target will vary depending on if you want to rent it out after rehab or sell (flip) the property.Would not touch renting back to them with a ten foot pole.

@Emin T. wroteBut on the average the errors might even out.If you had one foot in ice water and one foot in boiling water "On Average" you would be quite comfortable.Evaluating a markets potential growth is a complex subject.

Personally, I'm never lucky so I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole. 

I permitted" space, if within the original foot print of the total house is counted here.A short sale IS an arms length transaction.

Hello BP, I just received contact information for a local wholesaler here in Houston and I want to ask for his help with getting my foot in the door. 

The cost provided to you was probably a per square foot number to estimate the cost as close as possible.