They worked super hard for us and came through in a pinch even after we tried to use another lender to save a few bucks.

Jhamal, I'm NOT a wholesaler so take what I say with a pinch of salt. 

I put brushed nickel hardware on chocolate stained cabinets and changed a laminate top for granite ($35psf) and was happy with the tenants I attracted.

Hence the FI/RE penny pinching and frugality that he finds silly.  

The first sign of conflict and they are ready to offer cash for keys or bake the guy a pan of fresh chocolate chip cookies .

If you are not comfortable investing in markets you don't know, and are far enough away that it would be difficult to get back and forth in a pinch, physical real estate may not be the investment for you right now.

On 2FL floor I am cutting cost by (A) Bedrooms: cleaning, painting the wood floor chocolate brown, and throwing custom fit area rugs (B) Bathroom and closets: vinyl sheet (C) I am not sure what to do in the hallway - Ideally I would sand/refinish the hallway floors (a permanent solution).

With a pinch of background. 

"Your numbers" don't matter, the market does, so find a way to make that work so you make a market-rate return that is acceptable.Lastly, don't pinch pennies by cutting out professionals like a GC, RE Broker, and lender thinking you can do all that yourself and that you are smarter than those who do this every day professionally.

After doing some research it looked as if I have a down spout that may be going to his land that was pinched.