Seems like everything cost an arm and a leg to get nowadays.

@Andrew AcunaPlenty of arm chair investors that don't know the difference between a shoe horn and shoe molding.Regrettably the majority of tenant problems are created by incompetent landlords.You have read the posts....my tenant regularly pays late.

I'm deliberating whether I should hire my neighbor (he just had leg surgery and walking with a cane) across the street to do construction because if the construction turns out bad, I strain the relationship with the neighbor across the street, and also whether I should hire my neighbor from another place who does the design because I kinda don't prefer he knows where I live (just because if the design turns out bad, I strain another relationship with him and exposes my address of where I live).

And how hungry did someone have to be to say 'mm, that 8 legged sea creature with the snappy legs looks delicious'.

This is a great way to cover personal homeowner expenses and has given so many people a leg up in real estate investing!

@Juan Perez  I reread the OP  the company DOES fund 100% of the deal.. the OP does the leg work at his expense... flipping a deal is always an option of course

On patio space - there’s a deck across the front of the house that’s not more than 8 feet deep and not particularly useful for anything but maybe a bistro set or a pair of chairs.

Your background in wholesaling seems to be a leg up for most 'new' investors. 

Table, chairs, margarita machines, tents, moving dollies, and more.

Why pay $2,000 more and then run the risk of damaging the kitchen table or spilling wine on your white chair and having to pay for a replacement?