General upgrades to the inside, not any major remodel work, paint, flooring, etc.... 

Then we would get the entitlements on the land and hopefully have 11 paper lots and a remodeled house to sell after 2 years and pay no capital gains up to 500,000 as we would live in the house during the 2 years.

I will publish the final result as a shareable Google Doc.1) All exterior locks replaced by PMC2) Garage door remotes working properly3) Exterior doors - make sure they open/close properly and don’t stick4) Furnace - purchase filters and replace existing filter5) Smoke Detectors - replace batteries and test6) Towel bars - securely screwed into wall7) Toilet paper holder - securely screwed in8) Toilets - flushing and not leaking9) Sink - ensure they aren’t clogged and faucets aren’t leaking10) Replace 11) Have HVAC system serviced12) Replace dryer lint trap13) Ensure Co2 alarms have new batteries and are working

But generally when working with contractors on big remodels you should expect some delays and as long as they're communicating those issues with you it's pretty normal.

You may not get your money back if you spent money on costs that can't be put on the tenant such as wear and tear,  remodeling,  landlord responsibilities,  etc.

Greetings from Chapel Hill, NC.   My name is John Flanagan and I moved to the Chapel Hill recently and I am  looking to connect with investors.  I have a background in flipping properties and working as a contractor. ...

The remodel and paint added a great value as well as the stats / numbers pertaining to the short term rental business.

Unless your remodeling calls for a dumpster and a bunch of lumber on the driveway for inspectors to see, you should be fine.Minor electrical need not be permitted, actually.My Permit work is for major plumbing, electrical, hvac, and reconstructing.

If you had time that means working in a title company, mortgage company, wholesaler or realtor team, or even a contractor / remodeler team…anything that lets you see lots of buying and selling of RE.   

The flooding could've done much more damage, which we would've been responsible for or the seller could've found a way to wiggle out of the sale contract after we spent about $20k remodeling the house.