Unless you are an experienced builder, securing a bank loan can be difficult, and hard money loans often have high interest rates, which can become costly if your project faces delays.

That's not reality, so everything has to be averaged out in some fashion.The challenge is owners like to think in terms of the minimal time it takes to do things ASSuming everything goes well.

I have also found deals that require minimal work yet they are priced way below market or, with the minimal work that needs to be done, can be resold for much higher.Like I always say, you may not find a deal each and every time you are on the MLS, but with a "trained eye" one CAN find deals on the MLS

Is there anything else I can do as a Wholesaler to minimize the possibility of being sued?

Many first time investors get excited about acquiring their first rental and focus more on minimizing their fees/rate on the initial loan then really focusing on the exit loan.

I have no, well minimal, delusions that I'll be turning my "C" neighborhoods in to A+ ones in the near future, but that still remains my goal.  

The title company did a search and found out the sellers haven't passed a electrical and mechanical inspections and owed money to the county for delays.

I've thought about buying on the high end of what I could afford (in highly desirable areas) in the hopes the property values will climb.Should I forgo financing entirely and buy something "cheap" that I can pay in cash or take a minimal mortgage on?

Waiting for rates to decrease might not only lead to missed opportunities in acquiring a duplex but could also delay equity accumulation.

I think the optimal strategy will be to find cities that have good returns, maybe not the highest, but that also have minimal regulatory risks.Nashville, Charleston & Asheville are great examples of cities that have some of the highest returns, but the regulatory risk is so high that it might not be your optimal city to invest.