And as investors we should know this, but always anticipate higher costs and longer waits.EXAMPLE Breakdown of Costs:Plan Purchase: $1,500Permitting Fees: $2,500-7,500Site Preparation (grading, utilities, foundation): $20,000–$30,000ADUs require separate utility connections for water, electricity, and sewer but you can tap into existing utilities at the primary houseIn Raleigh you CANNOT split lots fee simple, so setting up completely separate utilities would not allow you to section off the ADU as of nowYour ADU must be on a permanent foundation (no wheels, no ability to move the structure)Construction (labor and materials): $100,000–$150,000Low-grade: $150–$180/sq ft averageMid-grade: $180–$220/sq ft averageHigh-end: $220–$250/sq ft averageLandscaping/Finishing Touches: $5,000Total Estimated Cost: $125,000–$200,000You could easily spend $200k+ with super end high finishes, custom designs, complicated sitework, adding a second story or more sqft, etc.

i.e. longer than normal vacancy, bad tenant screening, poor maintenance, skipped rent payments, etc.There could be a handful of reasons why it lost it's ability to cash flow.

I have a Breville (around $300) and it's big enough to cook a full size pizza or whole chicken, it toasts, has convection ability.

See what they feel about their ability to pay.  

Then seller didn't have a clear marketable title and the ability to sell the property.So it really depends what the liens are.

No pocket listings = agents aren't even calling for new leads anymore, rising interest rate has nothing to do with an agent's ability to generate leads.If you mean multifamily apartments, 5 units and up, some of those agents will know, but not many until you are over 10 units which are more listed by only commercial brokers which I agree do understand seller finance.

My assumption is that it still will be better to purchase in my name (better loan terms, ability to put 20% or less down, and I'm already pre-approved) and move to an LLC, but this seems like a steep cost of doing business.

Ultimately, it’s about finding an arrangement that aligns with your goals without compromising your ability to discover the best deals.

On paper the cheap houses look great, but the reality is they are harder to manage, have higher turn over and cost a lot more time and money.Buying before you retire is a good idea because once you retire, your ability to borrow money is going to decrease as you don't have a regular income from a job.As you want to fix houses up, why not buy a house that needs a bit of work, live in it while doing the renos and then move when you sell it. 

Therefore, your long-term income depends on the city's ability to attract new companies.