This could definitely be a red flag, but we would need to know more beforehand.

It needs to be discussed in forums like this and shut Gro Capitus down.  

Fortegra is non-admitted in California and that's likely causing the issue.

Little things like this shaved hours, Evan days, off a project.

Hope this helps!

Renting out technically may not be legal for this property. 

This smells like a scam.

A straightforward way to estimate value is by looking at the price per square foot and using that to calculate your property's worth.In situations like this, it's worth spending a couple of hours yourself to get a solid understanding of the market.

Everything around the lot is older but the neighborhood is less than 5 minutes away from downtown, hospital and colleges. see this all the time in and around downtown columbus OH, we have frindge areas that are getting rehabbed and flipped like crazy and then the new builds come in. 

To get started, continue learning through podcasts like the BiggerPockets Real Estate Podcast and books like "The Book on Rental Property Investing" and "Set for Life."