Do one task at a time in each app to compare apples to apples.Load a property with pictures and details.Market that property.See what your marketing looks like from the public's perspective.Submit a fake application to see how easy the process is.

I once heard a stock market investor say there we’re basically two ways to invest, either betting on broad market trends or basically hand to hand combant, finding stock’s that for whatever reason were basically mispriced or had arbitrage opportunity, I think the 2010’s were basically a rising tide lifted all boats kind of market, this is definitely gonna be more hand to hand combat, finding misprised deals, mispriced sub-markets (I’m a big fan of more rural areas that simply just by there very nature have less competition and more ability to create opportunities) and focusing on execution.  

I’ve educated myself on the importance of understanding the variables between annualized ROI vs Comulative ROI and just the annualized ROI can be more helpful when comparing apples to apples as well as apples to oranges.  

Invest the profit into the stock market and get 6-10% return on my money without lifting a finger but taking on the additional tax burden of the profits?

That way you have a bid " Apples for Apples "I  would have only labor bid.You control products.Don't fall for contractor that forces you to sing the contract. 

They just built the second largest apple campus down the road in Rancho Bernardo, so lots of people moving to the area. 

I would not recommend it.But if you can work with a team that already understands the market, has connections, and can help with the heavy lifting... yes, that can work well.They key is vetting that team.

Professionals with decades of experience and very impressive track records do all the heavy lifting for you.

I am NOT adding square footage or moving load bearing walls, just a face lift and new floor plan.

Apple is building their East Coast headquarters between Raleigh and Durham. 5,000 jobs with median salary of $240k/year.