Something like that design may be up to a $1000 per rail section (meaning the one pictured would be 1 section).  

They sent us before and after pictures prior to payment, so no need to baby sit them.  

Hopefully with a combination of data sources I can get a clearer picture.

You can go to other post with pictures and age of the home .Thanks 

Apparently that's taboo, and I risk paying tax on anything I pocket.I've heard of refinancing shortly after purchasing, but I don't know exactly how that's supposed to work, and it likely incurs more cost to our big-picture plan (possibly jeopardizing our ability to put 25% down on both properties.Any advice/recommendations would be most helpful!

I am still diving into the possibilities but I am specifically interested in single-family homes and small multi family units as they seem the most approachable for me in the next two years (I'm picturing a conventional mortgage, FHA loan, or VA loan and living in my first purchase); although I am excited to learn about other paths and ideas.That's about it, thank you and I'm excited to see you around the site!

Big picture they don't do it, but there are lots of options. 

Picture estimating gives a very general ballpark figure but this can help you determine if the deal is even worth following any further.

I'm trying to make sure I consistently update the listings and have plenty of pictures.

@Vina Real looking at the pictures online, the house is in reasonable condition.