No more getting your phone blown up with questions!

It is a perfectly good fridge, tenants don't care.

bottom line - you can't use a square foot estimate... you need a bottoms up estimate as @Samuel Eddinger alluded to.  

I spent a decade in advertising, before founding and running a custom wood shop for another decade, so 'm pretty good at the self-promotion.I agree with you that the more gorilla approach would be most effective and that's actually what i've been doing – calling RE agents in my service area with active listings, introducing myself to property managers and leasing agents...To answer your question, I will have to handle the work myself for 6-12 months to build out the SOPs and field service management systems, but I have a lot of relationships for those looking to "do the work".I'll check out the meet up and would love to grab a cup of coffee, I'll shoot you an email.

Finding an investor-friendly agent is key and they should be able to help you with 1-4, I'd say talking about those questions you asked would be the perfect thing to ask any potential agents you interview! 

I have heard so many people getting charged the "fees" for signing up for a free CD.

I'm born and raised in Houston and now work with a full service long-term rental management managing over 300 doors - all SF or MU (up to 4 unit).

Rents are projected to keep climbing next year, and there are still panicked sellers out there, which means opportunities are popping up.

A 1/1 with a 4/2 on top is perfect for the hacker to live in the 1/1 and cash flow on the higher rents.2.

Unless you're locking up 10 acres in a large metro where a DR Horton or KB homes might come in, thats a little less localized.