@Mike Calabrese your RE IQ will increase over time and you will be able to do your own preliminary inspections and estimate a rehab in less than 30 minutes.

Will this approved amount change (hopefully increase) after docs have been submitted and reviewed?

I don’t necessarily expect every dollar spent on renovations to translate into a dollar increase in property value.

ahh, i know what APT you're talking about. that area is not too bad. but if they are already being rented for $550, you're going to have a tough time increasing them much more than that.

@Ned Carey: Much of the multi-family housing stock in Boston was built during the city's peak population boom, 1890-1930 (brownstones and wood three-deckers alike), as an upper-middle class response to tenements to increase density.

I am trying to find some good books to read soon to help me grow and increase my knowledge in real estate.

If I could what other investors are looking for and successfully help by generating leads, when I'm ready to begin investing I'll know exactly what I'm looking for to increase my odds of success.

"Wear and tear" is a real thing, and it increases one's business expense. 

@Travis Raila  @Shital Thakkar @David Martin JrI would disagree with @Ali Boone , even though she may be correct that prices have increased in the Atlanta market, I still see very strong potential for 10+% cap rates and great ROI.

For instance, changes to tenant laws, enactment of rent control, continual increase of property taxes, etc. could all throw the math out of whack.