Probably the best way is to get with a reputable contractor and try to get figures they use for estimating.

If you care about your investment simply choose not to rent to anyone that does not meet your requirements.

Hello again biggerpockets  im going to start out using a HELOC from my old man’s house he will be having around a 200k heloc pretty soon and i will flip my first home some time late january or early February using a 100k or less of that helocI have recently made an amazing encounter with a broker that is in charged of selling off a local credit unions foreclosures and i have to say even with my inexperience’s in flips there is money to be made in my local market Currently looking at a property that is foreclosed on might go for 55k or 60k bank hasnt approved a price yet took a contractor that i trust and another one i never dealt with and around a similar bids 25k-35k repairs needed1950’s home  has been updated electrical wise plumbing still not sure will get inspected and foundation is sound on slabNeeds roof redoneKitchen1 full Restroom1/2 restroomDriveway workDetached Garage work (door and cement work)Redo kitchen cielingRedo living room cielingMove electrical outletsRedo floor or overlay with laminate (ugly old tile)New paint in and out(ultimately on what i choose material wise prefabbed or custom) a recent house 3 houses down the same road was recently flipped and sold for 140k is sightly larger 1280 sqft vs 1080sqft (one im looking to buy) the realtor i deal with works for this broker as well and comps match the area for what the house sold and ultimately said if i fix n flip this property i should see minimum 125k selling price high of 145k (market is hot at the moment) Given i should over estimate the rehab 35k rehab 55k purchaseAll in at 90k Sales at minimum 125kPotential profit 35k minus holding cost expenses and commission to realtor should be arund 27.5k profit If this works out i would repeat and do more flips jn the future to build up enough cash (really want to build up 500k cash not counting HELOC) to were i can do multiple flips at a time  and keeping 1 free and clear to have a high cash flowing sfr rentals sooner then just 200$ a month per door really want to have 800$ a month cash flowing properties I know alot of people like over leveraging and using OPM’s but this is my realistic niche i can accomplish especially in the hot market im currently inI run a restaurant as my full time “job” but can definitely get out and manage my contractor and have worked with him in the past, for sure one i get the hang of flipping ill probably stick a manager in my place and go full time flipping myself if it goes smoothly (never does i know)Would this method be worth while to build up cash fastest way without leveraging and using OPM’s for now with SFR’s and flipsGo easy on me i been reading alot of books and listening to podcasts daily and get the lingo of the real estate investing world and alot of different ideas from what other people have done in the past to be successful Like episode 121 from bp real estate podcasts those guys are my age and killing in their 20’s yes all hands on but they going strong for sure(Sorry long read)

There are a lot of ways to skin the cat, the best outcome for you is knowing all the angles and choosing the most appropriate to YOUR situation.Along the same line of thought, For the HVAC unit, Assuming the tenant is paying the utilities.

Consult with a professional who understands tax implications for foreign investors; In terms of US, few things to consider: since you will generate an active income - which is ordinary, you will need to choose entity that will save you taxes; consider how much income you expect to generate in a first few years; the state; for example with CA you have additional entity level taxes - for example tax on LLC starts at 800 per year even if you have no activity.

If you are working with a reputable insurance company and restoration contractors that put forth a fair bid, allow the insurance co's adjuster to have a fair shot at it first.

Seems to me you could rent a place in a location of your choosing and find a mentor by other conventional means.

Two, you may not have the property under contract,  Three, you don't know how to control a deal.PS: of course there are investors without any integrity and maybe you should use a NDNC  I generally just choose not to do business with them 

Does anyone have any recommendations of where to look/what to do when trying to choose which market to hone in on?

My experience has been a learning one, but overall I'd still choose the turnkey route over other routes (as I'm on my way out to deal with a property I'm currently landlording....GROSS).