We spent about a year looking at cookie cutter log cabins to purchase.Eventually we decided to purchase a lot and custom build a mountain home.

Simple simple stuff nowadays, average handy person can do a conversion at home to rig it up. 

Health care beeing the prime example: the american for-profit health care system looks like an unbelievably rigged pyramid scheme designed to extract money from the population - this is so clear when you have the comparison to other countries.

@Malcolm Lawson  - I wish I could give you a cookie cutter response.

I set up a mining rig, thought it was wonky and silly, and just abandoned it.

Unlike your cookie cutter Fannie/freddie Mac loans, guidelines vary drastically from lender to lender.

I would say the only people that could sell their property for market value or higher are people that have cookie cutter homes (ie Condos, town homes or homes in HOA communities and where homes are renovated).

Get your first deal on the books then try to make all your next few deals as cookie cutter events of the first.

If anything unforseen happens you can go under.100k is a real solid amount to start with a nice cookie cutter project with financing. 

Get Multiple Quotes: If your property is a brand new and cookie cutter building carriers like State Farm or Farmers will likely provide the most competitive quotes.