Excavation is very costly!!!  

I also own a small renovation company that has operated in my are for nearly a decade. so my rehab cost on a property would be much more cost effective than hiring outside contractors.

Can you typically write off the cost of a course like Ray's Dealmaker's Guide?

There are closing costs ~2-4%2.

However, two weeks of waiting and the cost we incurred reprogramming our feed to meet your needs, followed by tumbleweeds, is unacceptable!

and http://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/24/topics/136721-help-north-carolina-wholesale-contracts-understanding-rehab-cost , "I hope you work out.

When buying a house or refinancing, you will have closing costs. 

We did the cost seg year one so all the tricky accounting is out of the way.

When you house-hack, you have a property that is both a personal residence and an investment property.As such, certain costs, such as real estate taxes, mortgage interest, snow removal, insurance, etc have to be prorated.There are other costs that, if directly made to the investment property section, can be directly deducted.

You may pay a bit more and make a little less, but playing the long term game is key in real estate.The types of structures could be lump sum (one price) or cost plus (meaning you pay the cost of material and labor plus a flat fee—more of an open-book model).I see some investors who want to pay for ALL the materials, which is excellent for the investor (more control of finishes & cost) and general contractor (if they are getting paid well).