I will add there are some creative and skilled RD investors.  

If your looking for the least amount of risk and biggest bang for your buck I would look for a company that is a reputable turnkey provider thats actually in Detroit and offers things such as an efficient boots on the ground team, all sorts of established local relationships, solid in-house management, an operation that is highly skilled and well versed in section 8, a company that has proven relationships with both out of state and local lenders.

I’ve been working on mastering ARV (after repair value), but I still feel like it's a skill I haven’t fully nailed yet.

.: I’m picking up some animosity toward  @James Wise No, my message was for the Zen and Art of Real Estate Investing not James.

Seeing how they’ve handled similar projects—especially when things didn’t go as planned—can give valuable insight into their problem-solving skills and reliability.How do you usually gather this kind of information?

I do well in this arena  but the vast majority dont have the skill set to navigate it. 

Find someone at your local REIA who you click with and see about partnering with them, following them through a project, or offer to trade your labor/skills for them mentoring you. 

But, as tou sharpen your analytical skills, and quantify the parameters of your search, you’ll be able to better target a doable deal.  

Being aware of not biting off too much at one time is a skill, and it seems you have it.Real estate is all about incremental wins and, maybe most importantly, staying sane and JOYFUL while doing it!

They are always publicly posted on our website, in the events here on Bigger Pockets, and on Instagram.Look for Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing in the events for NJ here.