Is there some other way to verify his involvement? 

Was he really involved in your deals?

Keep in mind magistrates deal with MANY MANY cases involving small issues so their rulings OFTEN may not follow the correct technical application of the law.

For your first question, writing a scope of work (SOW) involves detailing all the tasks and materials needed for your project.

The problem is that the market landscape has fundamentally shifted.

Personally, I would never invest in a place I didn't even visit and also meet/interview the people who would be involved (agent, manager, contractor, etc.)

Most people cant afford that alone which means a syndicate or getting PMLs involved and doing the synd yourself. there's nothing wrong with starting with some smaller properties.

Undoubtedly, the biggest regret is getting involved in the short-term rental market.

Leverage magnifies return. 3) The effort involved in adding an ADU is comparable or larger than a rehab associated with a BRRRR.

I never go off of a flat percentage on anything, I analyze the costs to get to a specific return I target and analyze the risk that is involved. 70% may be an initial metric to see if it is even worth pursuing, but every deal should be evaluated independently based on costs, time and risk involved.