We have a dog and want to be able to walk her on sidewalks,  real nice neighborhoods, maybe a park, and not more than a 15 minute ride to downtown. 

Everything is slated for final inspection during the first week of July, first two inspections were for plumbing (fortunately I had a clean out in the back yard for RV parking so we tapped into that) in order to connect to the sewer at the sidewalk.

Start with the end value of the buildings or lots and work backwards.Next check with the city or county to determine if you can do what you want to do and what is required for all zoning approvals and the time frame,Ask if you have to install curb, gutter, sidewalks, street signs, street lighting or any other special requirements.Are there any specific street design requirements, DOT requirements, permits or traffic studies.DWQ, Army Corp or any other environmental requirements or permits.General permit fees, proffers, water/sewer tap fees and the process of setting taps and connecting.

Roads cost $, waste water treatment cost's $, drinking water, parks, sidewalks, street lights/signs, on and on the list is VERY long of the services NEEDED to support population and, at BIG population, those expenses get BIG. 

Drunks/addicts sleeping on the sidewalk and hustling for money every time you walk by, cat calling and overtly suggestive sexual comments, groups of people following you to your car, etcTake some time to see any new places at multiple times of day and night.

When you start seeing government agencies and private investments put forth hundreds of millions of dollars into a 1 mile radius of Atlanta fixing sidewalks, building new mixed retail, and adding new construction apartments... you then can truly understand what the bigger picture is.

Additional items off the SOW included sealing up the doors between bedrooms (giving them a single entrance), lay down new flooring throughout (12mm laminate), install a ½ bath, repair cracked areas of the sidewalk, brick pointing, repair and refinish the staircase, side the exterior, support and repair the front deck, and paint the interior, among a number of other items on the 4-page rehab SOW.

I am in Chicago and our properties are 125 feet deep with a sidewalk along the entire property including a 1.5 story staircase and a 2.5 story staircase.

I had met my (neighbor) mentor simply by shoveling their driveway & sidewalk unannounced.

The area is located on our property so not a sidewalk.