I'm trying to do this also in Honolulu, permitting with the city and county maybe tough.

Glad to know that a permit is required for a STR.

Many listings you see might not be permitted, as Airbnb doesn’t require proof of a permit to list.

Cherry-picking rehab costs won’t give you the full picture since everything ties into existing systems, permits, and infrastructure.For a garage conversion, you’re adding sqft  which means extra costs for HVAC, insulation, electrical, and possibly new windows or structural changes.

The house has no structural issues they are just upset that permit expired last fall and nothing has been done to property. 

I do projects all over Texas, plus in other states, but the process for permitting/approvals can vary by region. 

Yeah there are some cool ideas here, but I do believe she is skirting some local permit laws.

I have all my permits approved, floor plans and sub contractors ready.

Some markets to check out: Lake Tahoe (high demand but strict permits), Sonoma/Napa (wine tourism, tight restrictions), Gold Country (lower buy-in, seasonal demand), and Mendocino Coast (beautiful but limited STRs).SoCal spots like Big Bear and Joshua Tree tend to be more STR-friendly.

Of course these are also just general rules, construction costs will vary greatly dependent on site conditions and design.Most material costs, insurance costs, permitting, licenisng etc. don't deviate greatly depending on where exactly in the city you build and unfourtnately, most of the in-fill opportunties are in the neighborhoods that can't achieve the required pricing to make the cost of new construction pencil.