It adds about a day or two, since I can create my own floor plans, to measure and layout plan, and then a half day in office to get the permit.  

About 13-5K on a 2 bathroom 1300-1600 sq foot house.The average trench-less is approx half that price. 

Start looking at and analyzing real estate (in the asset class you will be buying): the easiest will be a condo, then a SFH, then Duplex etc  (decide what you like and then know it : how much is it selling for, price per square foot for fixer, or finished home etc ) Figure out retail market: then go after anything that is 15% to 20% discounted.

Thinking about using a half inch corner.

You can't, easily anyway, say that just because its a 50/50 ownership that only half the monthly payment applies to you or that since the "other owner" took out the loan that they are responsible for it. 

It seems I either have to wait half a year for “seasoning” (that Fannie Mae thing) so that I can apply for financing and get a mortgage on the property, or I take a financial hit with deferred financing, leaving 25% of my capital as equity and recouping only 75% - this seems to especially suck since I wouldn’t be able to take advantage of a hypothetical higher-than-purchase-price ARV.Another strategy I saw, by one of the Kwak brothers, was to buy a “nicer” home, then use the equity from that in the form of a HELOC, in conjunction with savings, to buy several rentals.

Family includes only your spouse, brothers and sisters, half brothers and half sisters, ancestors (parents, grandparents, etc.), and lineal descendants (children, grandchildren, etc.).Anyone under an arrangement that lets you use some other dwelling unit.Anyone at less than a fair rental price.

It is amongst the easiest of commercial property types to pin down. 

This location is about an hour and a half from my primary residence.

Easiest way is to just debit retained earnings and credit a reserve account for however much you want to reserve.