If you want to go with a FHA loan you'll probably need to either get a cement foundation or retrofit which adds to the cost.

It was listed at 169,000 and we got it under contract for 157250 with 3,000 back for closing.It's a 3 BR, 2 BR single family w/ a partially finished basement.One of my exit strategies since I must live in home for 5 years in order to not have to repay the 20,000 grant - is to rent out then3 brs up stairs with private bathroom, and full house access for 1,000.I test posted an ad on Craigslist as was getting 1 person a day interested in it.I would live in furnished basement and after 5 years and 20,000-30,000 of mortgage paid down by the renters - hopefully sell for the market value or hold for my rental portfolio I am starting.It was hard to use the calculators for this because I was renting and living but I calculated 1400 expenses including 5capex   5% vacancy full landlord utilities and all that jazz.Seems like it would still cash flow $100 if you could rent it out for 1600-and break even for 1500.But I was more or less thinking of getting some instant squirt to pull out later in 5 years after sale or just in general to use for more deals.Also wholesalers in Rhode Island I am looking for you.

By the looks of it i would say your Dad is right, it looks like the concrete has deteriorated due to water. you do not need a foundation co. just hire a mason to cement it back up inside, but first take care of the cause on the outside, get that leader pipe to drain away from the house by either extending the pipe above ground or dig a shallow trench and run a pipe under ground away from the house. also make sure the soil around the house is pitched away so that water moves away from the house.

I am getting quotes now to determine if it is more cost effective to carpet (making it living space) or just paint the cement floors a solid gray (for a general purpose / storage area).

Instead of having it use a litter box they just let it go under the stairs in the unfinished basement.

Apparently Code required each pier to be on cement pylons (below the frost line) & given the 15inches of clearance it required the flooring to be torn up.

~$1800New Paint & Carpeting throughout ($8800)Replace the front porch deck boards ($3500)Power wash vinyl siding & roof ($500)Minor landscaping to clean up outside yard and minimal landscaping around the front and side ~$1000Extend the deck from the sliding glass door to the side kitchen door with one set of stairs entering the kitchen door (roughly 6-12 linear feet not including the steps) ~$3500New stove and dishwasher ($1200)I included a miscellaneous cost for anything that may come up of $5000.

Brick/cement construction so roof is the major issue.

Purchase Price 87k, fix up 4k (clean out and put tarp on and repair stairs for safety)- then put on the MLS for 179k.  

Prior to this I worked in the construction industry with experience in: roofing, siding, framing, tile, wood flooring, asphalt repair, cement work, & granite counter tops.