in general, celebrity and notoriety add something, but it can range from just a neat story to an advertisable theme.don't neglect it, but don't count on it. 

Quote from @Devin James: Gross Margin is an important calculation for developers/builders.Gross Margin = Gross Profit / RevenueWe shoot for a 20% gross margin on our New Construction HomesReal #’s:Home Sales Price: $374KClosing Cost: $18,700Cost of Construction: $258KLand Cost: $30KGross Profit = $67K$67K/$374K = 17.9% Gross MarginCame slightly short of our goal of 20%Homes Values and Build Costs are constantly fluctuatingI wish we had a crystal ball build larger homes. average new build in our market is 2200 square feet, 4 beds, 3 baths, 2 car garage and sells for 515k. construction costs lower if design is good and find the median or average home sale price and push that up. my guess is you built too small. 347k is cheap. we target 429-479k price range in columbus ohio for single family homes and also only purchase close to urban core where premiums are 20% higher and we build smaller like 1500 sq ft where price per square foot goes up. 

What price range are you looking for?  

Please advise.ThanksMelAllstate: They offer a range of property insurance options.Farmers Insurance: Known for providing various insurance policies, including for rental properties.Liberty Mutual: Has a presence in California and may be able to meet your needs.Nationwide: Offers property insurance and may have suitable policies.Good luck in finding the right coverage! 

You clearly have factored this in already.

I’d love to hear more about your experiences over the years.We are specifically looking to purchase single-family homes in the $80,000–$150,000 range and are considering renting them through Section 8.

I prefer using gas as you will also be able to use it for your range, and most people prefer that for cooking.

I've included an example below to help illustrate this.So different lenders have different rates (which do vary even for DSCR loans) but these are factors they all consider.See example below:DSCR < 1Principal + Interest = $1,700Taxes = $350, Insurance = $100, Association Dues = $50Total PITIA = $2200Rent = $2000DSCR = Rent/PITIA = 2000/2200 = 0.91Since the DSCR is 0.91, we know the expenses are greater than the income of the property.DSCR >1Principal + Interest = $1,500Taxes = $250, Insurance = $100, Association Dues = $25Total PITIA = $1875 Rent = $2300DSCR = Rent/PITIA = 2300/1875 = 1.23If a purchase, you also generally need reserves / savings to show you have 3-6 month payments of PITIA (principal / interest (mortgage payment), property taxes and insurance and HOA (if applicable).

Of course, every owner's situation is unique and factors like the legal entity involved, purchase date, adequate passive income that can be offset with the cost segregation study, etc., will need to be considered.

AND there aren't many note buyers who will buy notes with large balances in the range you mention.