It's probably best to have them pay out of pocket for a smaller cost like this.

How to track potential growth in an area to see if a lot is viable for purchase and building spec homes on etc. 

Again I cannot collect rent to justify this cost/effort.  

Hey Makani, you should check out DSCR loans, which are primarily for investment properties and focus on the property’s income potential rather than your personal income.

Your ability to accurately estimate costs and efficiently manage renovations makes you an extremely valuable partner in any deal.

I am not familiar with any HML on a fix and flip that would not want an appraisal as well as an estimate of costs.

Quote from @Jeff Sanders: Personally coming from an agent/investor in CA, I always get a quote from a broker of mine and make sure I am knowledgeable with the fees/costs.

We are seeing people move from higher cost of living areas like Raleigh, Durham, chapel hill, and even Greensboro.   

Hi all investor here with a sfh property in Oklahoma, I have been having ongoing plumbing issues almost every week with toilet clogs etc since last year, and recently they had to repair the sewer lines and had to excavate the backyard and living room floors costed me tens of thousands of dollars.

Courtesy of the video, criteria to consider include Deal Type, Management Plan, Business Plan, Financing, Asset Class, Ownership Structure, Property Class, Location, Purchase Price, Rehab Costs, Risk Target, and ROE Targets.