By reducing your basis through accumulated depreciation, you effectively increase the taxable gain when you sell the property.It's essential to keep accurate records of depreciation, as it can have a significant impact on your tax liability when you sell the property.

junk mail, from random companies, with spookily accurate details on your current mortgage?

You all are likely far more accustomed to running accurate numbers on appts so I am giving your opinions heavy weight in my decision but also trying to vet the specifics of this property.  

They will be instrumental in telling you where to build, how many residents they can handle, and also will give you more accurate estimation on the actual budge to make your pro forma with. 

A sham is not an accurate description for what it is.

Plus an investor/agent knows and understands the numbers, they can estimate rehabs more accurately as well. 

If you're going to flip, it could work, but you would need to analyze the properly for that approach -- which would included getting detailed and accurate estimate on repair costs. 

Have both of you found that these approaches are accurate in your own investments?

To say Oregon coastal housing inventory is limited would be an accurate assessment. 

For newly constructed, purchased or renovated properties and also retroactive generally over the last 10 years, building components are properly classified into individual units of property and accurate recovery periods for computing depreciation deductions.