Construction documentation, such as construction drawings, specifications, contracts, job reports, change orders, payment requests, and vendor and supplier invoices, are used to determine unit costs.

Do you have the ability to close on the contract yourself under the terms of that contract? 

Absent that, the big differences will be which forms you report the income, your ability to deduct business expenses against the income, and applicability of self-employment taxes. 

The answer is a combination of knowing the numbers, your projections of those numbers in the future, and your confidence in your ability to do the analysis. 

Guy's I'm trying to determine the best course of action on a potential deal. 

I know it is alot, but I thought with a open schedule and possible ability to get this property at a discounted price it could bring in some return as I would have an easy tenant and location is perfect. 

Additionally, a larger property like this is valued based on the actual cash flow, not sales comps, so you have the ability to force appreciation faster with efficient management.Adding the a 5-10 unit may also increase the amount of time you spend getting you closer to the 'Real Estate Professional' status for tax purposes opening up room for offsetting some W-2 income on taxes.  

With cash value life insurance whatever is left after paying salesperson's commissions is earning a nominal return, you don't have the ability to invest these funds (unless you take a loan from the policy, think of this, you have to borrow your own money and pay interest to the insurance company on the loan!

I have some brokers telling me that it's still a rent PSF calculation, but I'm just not seeing how that's an accurate way to price it b/c of the effect a drive thru has on the ability has to drive traffic.

I'm trying to determine if it's worth it.