.; improperly sistered structural beams, excessive use of shims, inadequate attempts at structural reinforcements, etc.).  

Do all the houses on the block have a garage to park a car or all have bootleg units?

I only ask because for me, I am an all-in or all-out type of person and that has worked well for me. 

For instance, inadequate/improperly designed water diversion systems can cause major problems (e.g.; rot, masonry degradation, foundation settling) that won't emerge for several years.

Any or all answers would be very helpful, thank you!!

@Jordan Richter Basically the seller would carry most or all of the downpayment and at the end of the loan term you would make one big payment on it.

After months of due diligences, (sometimes folks get lucky and it's weeks or even shorter) , they find a property that actually will perform well and meets most or all of their criteria - only to talk them selves out of it for one reason or another. 

A novice and in the learning portion as of now, and getting the right knowledge upfront will also get you the best results in adequate time.To your success! 

If done right, you can recoup most of or all of your investment costs once you refinance at the end of the build.

Also, if you haven't already I would suggest getting preapproved first before getting too far into the process so that you have an idea of what type funds are available.Some questions to ask:1 - How much are you willing to spend (after preapproval)2 - Are you interested more in multi family buy and holds or more interested in single family rentals, flips, etc (pros and cons for each)3 - How much do you have for a down payment - this may factor in heavily4 - Risk tolerance 5 - Investment criteria - are you looking for cash flow, appreciation, tax shelter, or all of the above.These are just a few things to consider when getting started.