I'd look into modular construction, there's alot being done in commercial, as well as housing, also steel buildings, maybe tilt up concrete, helping to shave some time off.It seems to me it's an area where you need to think outside the box both time and weather conditions.

I did a major overhaul of our budget when I decided to cut my hours to dedicate more time to our business, and I do review it every month to see if there is anywhere else I can shave off a few bucks.

What service(s) have you all used and what is a reasonable price to pay for such services?

Your market is more suited for cash-only investors who can jump into a $120k property with $150k, and they aren't bothered by the $20k return because to them, it's all cream (i mean you pay maintenance, repairs, and taxes, but you know what I mean).Please don't use 50% analysis to actually look at the viability of a property.  

When leaving the old and applying over it, thats kinda like putting whipped cream on dog #$it.

Key is to buy a home in top end neighborhood not get sucked into low end inner city Ghetto type environments... this gives you the worse tenant base in the country basically and your issues will be magnified.. buy in an area were your rents are in the TOP 20% or so of the average rent and your creaming the top 20% of renter pool... if buy were the rents are in the BOTTOM 20% of price point your dealing with the least stable.. the tenant is what makes and breaks you.BAd PM of course and there are crooks in the PM business as well as some very good operators.. just need to make sure you vette them well.  

The 20's have a few vacancies.Price $20/$30/$40.

The 20's have a few vacancies.Price $20/$30/$40.

  $5000 seems a little high for a free and clear property and there may be some ways to shave more off by structuring it a little differently. 

I shaved  brushed my teeth.. and I took the Tesla to the do it yourself car was and cleaned it head to tow.