Like you, I struggled a lot with how to get myself inserted into deals, and spent the last year saving money for my first deal.  

I then crunch the preliminary numbers and insert them into BP's flip calculator ..Then I send a email off to potential investors/partners with hyperlinks to all the sites i can find that provide information on the property.

The wooden inserts between the brick and window, what would that be called?

Renters always have a "Friend" or "Brother in-law" who is a plumber or an electrician or roofer who says that this place is a nightmare because (insert XYZ).A new AC unit is most likely more than the profit of a year of you as a tenant.

A few spots did have post and column bases which I inserted Lally columns to raise.Don't just trust the way I did it though since each property has its own unique challanges and safety requirements, you will need to do extensive research yourself for your situation.Hope this helps..

Rehabbing Mistake:  When you pour a concrete foundation, if you want plumbing/sewer to come into the crawl space or basement area, you need to give the foundation guys the "sleeves" that they insert in the wall molds to create the holes for the pipes. 

Remove the door, get a plastic zip-tie cut into place of existing screw hole & insert back all regular screws.

It may need to be rebuilt.....if that is the case I might suggest you consider a zero clearence insert with new metal chimney pipe that you can box in with a wood frame.

For renters you could install a gas insert.

I think there were about 30 vendors total and 80% of them were "Buying Real Estate in my hyper-awesome --insert town in FLA-- Back Yard".