I got a deal on labor as I know the contractor personally and helped out a bit with the project.

For yourself, I'd save up enough to be able to house hack, and then house hack.Hope that helps.  

Ensure you have an itemized invoice from the cleaner, which can help justify the deduction.Reasonable Deductions: Long-term tenants often leave normal wear and tear, so I recommend being lenient on minor issues.

I hope this helps.

PS  flying to DCA today LOL  looks like I will make it had to pull all my warm cloths out of my closet. 

Does anyone have recommendations for another book that could help me?

Quote from @John Lasher: I am still helping investors flip, find deals, and get them on the market..

I won't be able to help out for that region, but that would help get a better answer from someone else.

Together, we have over $200K (mostly in stock market investments), and our parents may help with the down payment.

We have a few areas hotter than others which include West Village, East English Village, Corktown, Jefferson/Chalmers, The University District, Northend, Sugar Hill District/Medical Center, and others.If you want help navigating Detroit we would love to show you around and point you toward where the best deals are.