The super cheap by the roll is also trash, and the foam insert as overpriced and dont work for the price.Hope that helps    

You need to determine the capacity, powers and level of authority that seller(s) have as the person in charge.In CA, the court document which will best identify those powers is called 'Letters' however they may referred to by various names in other jurisdictions.With these Letters you can determine if court confirmation is avoidable or required.If required, many attorneys want to review your offer prior to his/her client (the PR) signing the agreement.

If you were putting 25 or 30% down the rate would likely drop some but the benefit of a few shaved basis point versus 5 to 10% more down doesn't seem worth it.Better might be to keep that money for reserves for unexpected future costs with the property.

If it's a solid concrete pad, there is some new product (like expanding foam) that they can shoot in under pressure and raise it up a couple of inches.

I need to get with @Joshua Dorkin on this too, obviously I'm a BP addict and have no intention of competing with BP, I'll always be around.Well, some good advice, start with the basics of real estate.LOL, coaching and mentoring offers from experts that don't even have to shave everyday! 

I did do which I recommend if you are taking out walls, the spray foam insulation.

This gives lots of time to move things based upon his/her feedback before any wires are run.We pull all the (new, replacement) wiring, mount all the boxes, etc. with our own folks and call the electrician back when we are ready to hook things into the panel and/or before we start to drywall (if we are using closed cell foam insulation, we'll have the electrician come through before the insulation is sprayed).  

A good plumber could tackle it in a day or two.He'll probably drill into the exterior sheathing and run it into the wall that way and then put a foam jacket around the exposed pipe rather than drill through the slab and sill plate.

My broker/s (have one in each of my markets) help keep me in the loop on good opportunities and referrals that I wouldn't have otherwise.

3/1's have lower resale value generally.