The high HOA fee is already a factor, so ensure you’re comfortable with the overall carrying costs.Focus on the Land Value: Since the lot has development potential, you’re looking at this as a long-term investment.

I usually run several CMAs, with different criterial, and of course compare tax appraisal value with a wholesale price, add 5% as a fee to a transaction, in some cases.

As far as whether to approach them with or without an agent - approaching them directly without an agent can save the seller probably 2.5-3% of fees, which give you some room to negotiate on the price, but you need to be confident that you are capable of evaluating the property value, estimating on the amount of work that is needed, knowing how to negotiate/ structure the deal, and navigating the closing process.

Would the investor have to use an assignment contract between him and new end buyer to collect the mark-up fee aka assignment fee at closing?

They don't allow auto payments or automatically add late fees, and tenants would have the option to pull their payment back, which is not ideal.

Collect your fee when the transaction closes.5. 

But in most cases the title co will reach out to a notary closer and add their fee to the closing stmt.   

This is my first time buying a home and let’s just say I learned a lot about these fees.

Spend a year learning and going to meetups before you fork over a $50-$100k franchise fee and half of your profits and don't even know what you are doing.

If you get cat urine in the house, it can cost you 10x the pet fee to mitigate the odor.