While it might feel like an extra charge to tenants, these packages often provide value that indirectly benefits the property owner as well—like reduced maintenance calls or ensuring the property is better protected.In my experience managing a large portfolio of properties, these fees are becoming more common due to the thin margins in property management.

Happy to provide guidance and help you brainstorm. 

When I was in your exact situation looking for help, they were the only ones that provided solid answers and walked my wife and I through the full transaction.

so, what happens when you go to get a full a doc loan and have to provide tax returns?  

Contractors, unless you have a working relationship with them, normally do not want you bouncing ideas off them.Understand what their hourly rate is, have a discussion with them that you are okay with paying them an hourly rate if they walk the property with you and provide you a scope of work along with an explanation of what you can/can't get away with in regards to improvements.ask them if you go with them, if they can credit you the amount that you paid.Once you develop a working relationship with a few contractors, you can bounce ideas off them and expect quality responses.I do not invest in New York.Best of luck. 

Currently, I am looking at Hemlame for local, I tried to use them for an out-of-state investment property, but the cost with an agent would end up far greater than a full-service property manager.The dream option would combine all accounting, bill pay, rent collection, provide eviction services, and maintenance coordination outside of normal hours.

This led me to researching schools in my area that provided degrees in construction.

I'm assuming you're referring to investors that provide all of the funds for your flips? 

Buying through an agent may provide more transparency, while sheriff sales and auctions can offer deals but often come with risks, like limited property inspection or legal complications.

Generally larger commercial properties and shopping centers are easier to classify with hard and fast rules, but to the points above the residential areas really move very quickly and have way more nuance than most people care to admit.zip codes are generally way too large for my liking at least in my market to provide any kind of insights other than macro level economics but even then highways or rivers that cut through a zip code can end up with totally different trade areas.we can get pretty granular with cellphone data and with grocery center data to understand the trade areas and their true boundaries, but that kind of data pull is generally only cost effective for investors doing larger scale projects or developments, and honestly we still just end up getting on the ground and feeling it out, so I generally tell people that the money is better spent on a plane ticket and weekend trip in the area you are looking rather than any kind of "trade area" level data studies.and generally B class in 1 area means something different than another.