Just cause the properties "seem cheaper" doesn't mean its a good investment.

You could purchase homes that are cheaper with a higher return but will also come with a little higher risk. 

The cheaper properties are only 2bed 1bath and the most expensive are 6bed 2bath.

----Some profit may but if you agree in advance to no change orders and his bids are in line or cheaper than other contractors you should be ok with him making a little money.  

If you are just doing a plain jane replacement job like you see on the Home Depot or Lowe's do it your self video page and really are just replacing the wood sashes with a white vinyl pocket window then yes, you could do cheaper.

So hopefully cheaper to fix that.

Without severely underbidding them it isnt even cheaper than the current dual rent total.

As soon as they do 1 or 2 successful deals, it is painfully obvious to them that they can raise the money elsewhere for much cheaper and they go off on their own.You are forced to start over with a newbie and more of the newbie deals blow up than you wish.

Is there another service that I should use that is better/cheaper?

It is far, far quicker, easier and cheaper to get a sales license than it is to become an appraiser.For example, becoming a licensed residential appraiser, at least in my state, takes about 200 hours of training and about 2000 hours (a full work year) of being an apprentice, in addition to the exam.By contrast, 75 classroom hours, the exam, and a payment to a broker to hang your license, and congratulations, you're in real estate sales.