While these contractors are certainly out there, in my experience they also tend to be the ones that work with home owners directly and charge "retail" prices, not "investor" prices.I would shop around with lenders to understand how they work with their loans.  

If you're going to a bank, you'll want to look for a smaller, community bank that has a history of lending on retail centers and multi-family...what they call "CRE" lending vs the owner-occupied "C&I" lending.

I'm a business owner with investments in retail, media, and addiction treatment facilities.

Years ago it was a thriving commercial retail area, but has since fallen into disrepair. 

Understanding my customer, I bought similar properties to what they were currently renting.This strategy is similar to how national retail chains operate: identify your target customers and provide what they want.

Could there be an existential threat in multifamily like Office had with Covid or Retail had with the rise e-commerce?

The Philadelphia-area retail landscape is evolving, with experiential retailers claiming anchor spots at Moorestown Mall, Neshaminy Mall, and King of Prussia Mall.

Opposed to buying used one at retail. 

So, investing in a market you don't know is like saying: I am going to open a retail business without knowing what product you will sell, how to source the product, or who your customer is and what drives them to purchase.  

WRONG.Even if a keyword consistently brings in leads—whether they are distressed sellers or retail buyers—there’s still one crucial thing you need to check at the end of the day:HOW MANY CONTRACTS DID YOU GET FROM THAT KEYWORD?