I have a 10x8 shed that I use exclusively to store real estate materials and supplies.

If I were to guess, I would think that the new administration will bring positive change to the housing sector by removing regulations that impede builders, and affect building material costs. 

That's what I mean when I say fraudulent folks coming into this space.This did not materialize as much as I thought and I think it was cause everyone anticipated a rate cut, thus such a fund wouldn't need to be made.

I am planning to get into the TN real estate market as my first investment and am looking for some information.In particular: Areas to steer clear of, property management fees, typical cosmetic rehab costs, etc.My strategy is to put large down payments on 2 properties (relative to housing prices) to help pay for my living in NY while still gaining appreciation in a growing real estate market.

Legal Implications & Ramifications : As an example; the iconic PCH homes in Malibu and many in the upper foothills might not permitted to build back, certainly not to the same extent or materials.

As others have stated, your fit & finish goals should be guided by whether you plan to:1) Rent: tenants don't always take care of a property, so you want to use lower-grade materials and workmanship.2) Flip: higher quality on workmanship and materials is usually required.Regardless, you always want to "Maintain to the Neighborhood".

To address this I took detailed pictures from beginning to end of my most recent flip, documenting that we did a thorough job using quality materials.   

The only time its worth spending extra money on materials that will be durable aka tenant resistant.

What is he charging for the materials?

Single family house, which required smaller down-payment and little cosmetic repairs.