Insurance changes the numbers enough that it's less interesting and I'm worried about resale.

Like others have said, 40k rehab budget on a property worth 55k would be considered heavy rehab.

So everything you can do to avoid a scam or a shady character is worth something. 

He immediately can tell me if it’s a property worth pursuing and can give me a ball point estimate of what the rehab may cost and what the scope of work will be.

I noticed you are in Austin Tx (I'm in the Ft Worth market as a Landlord, rehabber primarily). 

Also, my insurance company said it would be the same rate regardless which option I go with.or do I stick with the cheapest option upfront like a shingle roofObviously the upfront cost/future cash flow will be hurt the most by the standing seam steal roof (although it could assist in resale value)Does anyone have experience on roofing or an opinion which is most ideal for this scenario?

@Evan Robert I think we've got enough people here to make it worth our time for a meetup!

If the numbers work, it’s worth considering as a step toward your future home!

By the time you have 4, 5 ... 10 properties, it makes it worth the time to systematize and gets some meaningful current income.In short, if I just wanted to invest the money, I'd look into a syndication. 

Not a flood zone specialist but I don't believe it would impact your resale.