I second the advice on looking at inexpensive / lowed end granite.

I have someone who can put them together inexpensively, so they don't have to come assembled. 

It is very inexpensive (I think $80-120 depending on size) and the quality of the pictures is on a totally different level compared to an agents cell phone pictures.

House being worth $700,000 would rent for $3,200/month (est.) and all in expenses are $2,300/month.

The most prudent thing to do would be: Find a nice but inexpensive rental and then live below your means for about a year, maybe you have a buddy who is trying to house hack and you can rent a room from someone else.

For the sub-median houses, we feel that a backsplash is a relatively inexpensive add that makes the finished product stand out in the neighborhood. 

My initial strategy will be flipping small, inexpensive single family homes.

It's inexpensive and easy to prove your case if you have before/after documented.

@Ben Leybovich should chime in shortly about 30k pigs...I personally own some inexpensive apartments, and the expenses are most definitely not 5% of gross revenue!

I love the house hack strategy and would love to implement it for my first deal but being as i am living in expensive San Diego it looks like the only way i would be able to use this stategy is to buy a 2/1 apt and rent out one bedroom through airbnb to help pay for the mortgage haha.