I see where it is coming in - from poor grading around the house.

College text books at the 101 or introduction level to some study will be written at an 8th or 9th grade level, not for the A students from the 12th grade.

My partner is getting cold feet on the dollar amount and wants to cheap out (lowest builder's grade cabinets instead of refaced with good laminate doors, not replacing carpet, etc).

They were (not sure about now) hiring for utility grade (>$1MW) solar project support positions.

My goals for school is to graduate with high grades, so I think i would have two more years to go on top of the conventional four.

I use a basic builder grade 12x12 large format tile that I pay around $1 a piece for. 

For institutional grade capital markets sales there is almost never a fee for Buyer's agent, I suspect that is not the case here however. 

Get over that, or you'll be taken advantage of all the time in this business.I'd keep the deposit, without question.I'm not sure on the grade of property you're dealing with here, or the tenants that you attract.

Verify rents (rentometer.com, Craigslist, property managers, etc.).Look at comps to compare.Estimate rehab including holding costs from lender (if applicable).Determine grade of neighborhood (A+ through C-).

You can't make the yard bigger, or the street quieter, or build an excellent Elementary school near House #1.For house #2, show me an applicant with a child going into 1st grade, and I'll show you a good, stable tenant that is not moving anywhere else for the next 6 years.