Attend the local REI meetings and ask who the preferred contractors are for each discipline. 99% of the time you'll get a good referral that way.When I started out I was familiar with investing since my parents were semi-active investors, and my father worked in the building trades.

Most of the units he paints haven't been done by us, so we do two tone (bright white semi gloss trim, coffee colored or cream colored walls) and lots of spackling, filling, caulking, etc.

As my favorite derelict who used to hang around my old warehouse from the neighborhood used to say, “What had happened was was”……contractor turned out to be an incompetent, window-licking muppet, largest tenant moved out, rent declined for 2 months, my part time help all got hired away, and because I had the stupid idea that it would be easier to get all the work done myself and then go chill, I promptly burned myself out.This was accomplished by not much other than sheer willpower, and the lack of ability to delegate, implement systems, and the small fact that with 3 tenant suites added on top of my semi-ambitious-yet-I-Think-I-Can-make-it-work construction budget, my wallet became a small furry doe-eyed creature dropped into a pit of vipers.

The weblinks you provided are a wealth of information for me.Any experience in storage of semi-trailers?

If you do not comply with the work order they can order interior inspections on a semi annual basis for 2 years.

I checked in here in a semi delirious state at 2am on Sunday morning and after reading your post, I had myself scrambling researching transfer tax rates and laws for NYS.

I would suggest bring  contractor to look it over if you dont know construction costs, I have learned over the years what it will take, and can walk through and know pretty close what the rehab will cost, but that has taken a lot of deals to learn, so if you dont know get an expert. also consider your timeline, and current market conditions, I dont want to be negative, but at least my area, i think we are closing in on the peak,  prepare for falling prices in the semi near future. 

For the aforementioned reasons I like the idea of investing in AK because if I am going to invest somewhere out of state, as a new investor I would like to at least have some personal familiarity and interest in the area.How much time I would be able to spend up there while working remotely remains to be seen as my job is still tethered to the Puget Sound region and I have to semi-regularly visit project sites (thankfully I have a lot of flexibility in when I schedule these).

“Diversification” is for those who don’t know what they’re doing.Get educated.Put all your eggs in one giant basket.Your basket.Then watch the basket like a mother-so and so.Sit beside it and guard it with a semi-automatic if you have to.That’s what I do.Good luck.

Are you able to get away with stock cabinets and laminate, or do you need to do semi custom and granite?