If you hire a handyman in the bay area you will probably pay $35-50/hr depending on skill level and the trade involved.This work was done in Richmond, CA. 

@Sandra McEwanParking depends on where the home is located.

It all depends on the scope of work and your available time to put towards organizing and finding the right contractors. 

But rents are usually 25-100% more than market rate depending on proximity to bars, campus, etc. 

(Making judgements based on family status, number of kids, medical animals, etc etc..)4) When you get that first repair call 10pm Saturday night for a leaking roof or water heater do you have a trusted/dependable guy to call and get it fixed that night?

I guess it depends on if you think home prices will continue to go up over the next two years or not.  

Depending on what type of relationship you have with your lender you can have them disapprove the loan to protect your EMD. 3.

Both lead to that buyer overpaying and taking an opportunity off the board for the investors who have their underwriting completed accurately.I believe its somewhat market dependent but it has become increasingly difficult to make construction oriented deals work in the price points you mentioned.

I guess it depends on where you are buying.

Which is code for "MORE dependency, dependency on D.C. for ALL!!!!!".