As a contractor and a member of my towns zoning board, i would say it's all of your faults. this is not a building code issue, rather a zoning issue, before you get into a project you should know the zoning codes for that town, the architect should know the codes and the contractor should have some idea. you should take the time before any flip project and know what you can and can't do, without being hung up in a zoning issue.I will give you an example. i looked at a property on Saturday, it was an elementary school and now a church, 22,000 sq', the church is now selling. before i put in an offer, which was an hour ago, i looked into the town zoning and even called the zoning officer, i made an offer to buy the property contingent on passing a zoning hearing to change the zoning of the property. right now the property is residential and i need it commercial in order to make it into an apartment building.

The current owner is a church and they have been letting this guy (the pastor's nephew, I believe) live there with no lease, no payment or anything.

Clearwater has interesting demographics:1) Older people moving there for the beach and the "good" life2) People moving there for the Church of Scientology.Lots more opportunities in the places you mentioned.

I actually made an offer a couple of weeks ago on one here in Church Hill where I live that are no rehab needed properties.

Cecilia Giménez, the 90-some year old lady who took it upon herself to "restore" a 19th-century fresco in a Spanish church and thereby gave the world "Potato Jesus," still insists she did a good thing.

I'd be surprised if no one in your company, church, friends, family, acquaintance network wouldn't have interest.

The first house was a 3 bed/1 bath that was currently empty with active water damage from a bad roof, and the 2nd house was detached garage that at some point was turned into a "church" that had 2 bathrooms, a kitchen, and 5 rooms; 4 rooms with closets and one without.

They know that driving home from church also means a half hour of driving for dollars :)@Poosana Sunnanonta Thank you.  

Hey @Erin Church just following up to see if you went through with the Xome bid and if you have any info to add.  

I know these guys and most of them have been working with us for 10 years, go to our church, have kids that play with mine, etc.