For the first part of your question even if you were working with a realtor, I don't personally know many that have a true pulse on rehab costs and I wouldn't make any investment decisions based on their rehab cost projections.My suggestion would be to study how to evaluate the Big 6 rehab costs: roof, siding, windows, HVAC, electrical, and plumbing. 

Evaluate their pricing.

Every investor wants a 'deal', so you need to provide your lease and p&l to show them exactly what they are getting upfront to evaluate the property.

That said, we have this exact application that we have looked at/evaluated with one of our properties (duplex) that has separately metered electrical but one central air unit. 

We will evaluate their portfolio, estimating the purchase price and current value of every deal they've done from the beginning of time.

We're also able to evaluate our rates, and keep pace with inflation, on a monthly and quarterly basis because of shorter term leases.Now we syndicate larger self-storage deals and work with passive investors.

To diversify, visit and analyze Texas markets, speak with local investors, evaluate other regions remotely, build a team, start small, and connect with local investors.

The 1% rule is still a useful benchmark for quickly evaluating deals, but in today's market, it's becoming harder to achieve, especially in competitive or appreciating areas.

Here's a quick overview of the process:Highest and Best Use: Start by evaluating the land’s potential.

I’d love to hear about environmental assessments, soil tests, and any other pre-development evaluations