I worked with the listing agent on the property.

I'm a licensed RE agent, contractor, and investor. 

Each one offers its own set of opportunities for appreciation and cash flow.

My Insurance Agent has strongly recommended that I put a Construction Agreement in place with my Contractor to shield me from liability, etc. 

Are you a real estate agent?

I live in Phx but we do most of our investing out of state, so I’m not also the most current on local trends: so find yourself a good local agent to confirm that:- it’s going to be hard to find anything at < $150k / door.

Is there a different avenue I should take to owning my first house?

Your estate agent and the title company should be having them pay any unpaid water bills upon closing - this should be shown on the settlement statement.

However, exploring out of state markets could offer stronger cash flow upfront, so it’s worth evaluating both paths.A piece of advice would be to focus on building your core 4  team: agent, lender, contractor, and property manager.

I want to keep away from any short cuts , I am not looking to take large cuts from sellers (I’m a true agent at heart and looking to serve my clients) .