so we gutted more walls and installed more drywall and insulation.I've had to spend ~$1500 in material alone that I wasn't counting on, just for the 3rd floor drywall and insulation...Learning how to mud and tape drywall.

Similarly, our experience has found batt insulation to be undesirable for insulation of floors over unconditioned basements/crawlspaces, but mostly due to is propensity to capture and retain moisture and that it's insulation density is insufficient to provide an adequate thermal barrier in the 8-12" typically afforded by the floor joist system (the 8-12" measurement includes the 1.5-2" rigid board layer spanning the underside of the joists themselves).

Dallas has MUDs with varying costs too but the don't seem to be as numerous as Houston.

Most all of them focus on the more undesirable areas of town.I have a theory that there are some great wholesalers out there, but they work with a small number of investors in a closed group.

The combo of stairs and mud room might block off the entry and make it feel smaller than it is being tucked off to the side.

Even in Dallas, $1 million in some areas of the city may be considered undesirable listings.Good luck.

The worst that can happen is they counter or say no.After I submitted the offer, the listing agent calls me, screaming at me that I'm a joke and telling me not to ever sling that kind of mud at her again (her words!).

As stated above, there is a lot of gray area, it seems to overlap a lot of the same issues with real estate transactions.As I understand it in Ohio:Buying or selling a note for yourself is ok.Buying or selling a note contract for yourself is most likely ok.Brokering a note you don't own, most likely problematic.Clear as mud.

While not foolproof, having for example, a second property inspector to inspect the first inspector's finding for veracity will help you avoid (but not eliminate) some undesirable outcomes.

Be honest about your intentions because if not your name will be in the mud now and all the brokers will not give you the time of day from then on.Successful brokers in the business whether transacting residential or commercial have a very long memory................. : )