Who is the first person you call in that market to get started?

They took a big risk, and they probably thought it would be easy to rezone so I personally think that's on them and poor risk management.

The fastest I've seen personally is a few days, with a reinsurance policy through Metro Title (they were on Glenwood Ave in Raleigh, but I think they moved.)

Quote from @Ana Mills: The high quotes for the electricians will be way cheaper than having your handyman do it and it causing damage, causing a fire, or even worse causing a fire later when someone is living there and that person/persons getting hurt because of the work being done by an unlicensed worker doing the work. 

The primary residence unit does not qualify, so the purchase price must be allocated between investment and personal use.

Personally I’d do a 1031 to save $40k, I’d skip the LLC, increase the limit on my umbrella, and call it a day.

What have been the best ways for you to grow your business while still having that personal touch?

This is anecdotal, but I come across of ton of GCs looking for spec-build financing in local meetups and networking groups, such as on facebook on in person meetups. 

This gives them significant control and security.Joint Venture Agreement with Personal Guarantee: We establish a Joint Venture (JV) agreement that includes a personal guarantee, providing an additional layer of security for our investors.Memorandum Filing: We file a memorandum in the county where the property is located.

Your value is, to provide sellers that don't want to list, with a way to get cash for their house and provide buyers with discounted off-market properties they can buy to make a profit on.I am not saying it is not possible to wholesale from the MLS, but it seriously defeats the purpose.Focus on becoming the person/company that offers the most and best value and you will succeed.