Investment Info:Townhouse buy & hold investment.

Quote from @Sofia De Santos Tavarez: Hello, my husband and I are looking to do our first rehab in a different city than where we live (we live in Austin and looking to buy in El Paso), and are wondering how one determines and writes a scope of work and determine what material to buy for what.

@Fabio Cattolico"if I could get an out of state property for a great price and the numbers seem promising, wouldn't it be good to start off like that if I'm in a place where buying is unaffordable?"

I only buy positive cash flow and so do my clients.

If you buy a property with a tenant already there, what if the home needs a lot of rehab when they move out?

Denver is very expensive for a new guy who doesn't have loads of capital so a market like Missouri for example is intriguing for far cheaper real estate but then Id either have to move, improve the property remotely or simply buy and hold as a rental for X time. 

For rentals, do not buy the cheapest house.

The current tenants are month to month and not interested in buying, and the existing mortgage balance is assumable (3.65%) for qualified buyers.I know it's a great house -- and with the assumable mortgage -- a great buy for someone looking to save with current interest rates sitting as they are. 

Creative financing to buy deals is another dangerous approach.

Look for motivated sellers off market and market via cold calling and or direct mail, geofencing, advertising and the like.A good wholesaler is as @Ericka Parrott mentioned, direct to seller, did good underwriting and can deliver an actual "Deal" whether buy and hold or flip.