The more rehabs you do the better understanding you will have of the market for contacting work and materials.Doing a rehab every so often prevents you from being sharp with your budget.For those with limited exposure, ask others in the industry and always run your numbers based on being overbudget and overtime. 

I understand I cannot legally require them to respond, unless the notice specifically requires it, like for instance, a notice of entry, but it's making it difficult to manage the property, and I'm not sure how to proceed.

In your experience what are some ways I can understand the intent of the person who said they're interested in buying? 

Use IRS instructions to understand the definitions.

I think you can through BP or through the aforementioned REI meet ups more than likely.i am inclined to agree with a previous poster in that i'm not sure driving for dollars will necessarily yield you what you are looking for.Network with as many other MF investors as possible in your area and find an agent that knows the market and can at the very least set you up on an MLS search for your criteria.Coupled with BP's deal analysis calculator you can then begin underwriting properties you receive from the MLS with your agent or on your own to better understand your market and tailor your expectations moving forward.I'm an investor focused agent that focuses on MF and while we are not in the same market if you have any questions about moving forward with MF LTRs i'd love to see how i could help.

.-- Or, what we do is offer the free rent AFTER & ONLY if they pay their first 3 months of rent on time to earn it.4) Lower the rent 5% every 2-4 weeks until activity picks up.5) Understand this is the worst time of year to find tenants.-- Starts picking back up end of February when this tenant pool starts getting their income tax refunds and aren't broke anymore.6) Section 8: where is the property being advertised?

It’s not every day that accusations of rent manipulation make headlines, and I wanted to understand how this impacts the millions of Americans struggling with housing costs.

Some lenders work with 220+ lenders and can really understand which lenders are best for you based on your situation. 

These are all important considerations, and understanding the requirements can save a lot of headaches down the road.

My goal is to gain a solid understanding of the process, master deal analysis, and ultimately close my first deal.Right now, I’m focused on learning the basics — from finding motivated sellers to building a strong network of cash buyers.