We typically have had good success with Alside here in Indy - custom windows are 12-16 weeks out right now all around due to manufacturing and transportation delays, so make sure you ask about lead times with your quotes if you haven't already. 

We also want to see strong and increasing population density, low crime, low unemployment rates, high median household incomes, and strong transportation characteristics (traffic counts, public transportation stops, etc.).

That makes much more sense.There are a lot of rules regarding ADU's including, but not limited to set backs (4' from rear and side), height restrictions (16'), size (max is 1200 but main house can not be smaller than ADU), parking (no covered or non covered parking is required to be added if you use the existing garage for your ADU so long as you are within range of public transport), renting (there are no longer requirements of owner occupancy of main house to rent out ADU (except for Junior ADU's), you CAN use tiny homes and prefabs as ADU's, if the detached garage is on the property line or inside the required 4' set back, you do NOT need to tear that down and if you do tear down the wall on or near the property line of the garage, you can rebuild it in its same location (prior years laws required you to then build outside the 4' set back), multi family properties are allowed 2 ADU's to be added plus you can convert non livable existing space into livable if you meet fire codes, and the list goes on.Another big benefit to the new laws is that if you keep the ADU at 750 sf or less, you avoid impact fees from the city keeping your permit costs down.There are a ton of other build out questions like costs of design/structural engineering, permit fees, etc.

Purchase price: $40,000 Cash invested: $35,000 2/1 close to downtown, transportation, Major highways, 30 mins to Durham, 20 mins to greensboroBig back yard, completed rehabbed.

Too many red flags.If we subsidize someone's "right" to own a home, why not subsidize their "right" to food, clothing, transportation, and everything else? 

It is ideally located close to a transportation hub where multiple bus lines converge making it a quick commute to midtown Manhattan.

This will cover transportation costs back to the US for anything major  plus other medical.Non life threatening issues in Second and Third world; setting broken leg $50; MRI scan $200; Hip replacement $15,000; Chinese Acupuncturist $10/hour; US trained doctor $50/hour just because he wanted to talk with someone from the US; Prescription drugs being over the counter from Pharmacist cheap, etc. 

You can also look at other important things like population/job growth, ease of access to public transportation, and government projects.

Even MORE crazy, and this is an important point, he told me it is one of the last UN-regulated places for pricing, meaning the roof company will charge insurance hundreds of percentage points higher in price and commission just totally working them over, where they sold that same roof to a private party for 15k they charge insurance 48k and pocket the difference, essentially.

Great proximity to the city with a range of transport options.