When doing a new development, on average, how long does it take for the permits on a new development project for a single family home to get approved? 

Are permits for developing condo buildings and big projects different from developing single family homes and/or townhouses?

How much should you pay for the land you will be developing in?

For example developing a luxury SFH

Are there national or regional sites where you can identify and checkout property management companies?

We have family we can stay with so we're not in a huge rush on the buy side but here are a few ideas we're throwing around.1) Look for a SFH in an area with a lot of appreciation potential in the next few years (thinking Inglewood in light of the new stadium and all the development down there) 2) Look for a 2-4plex in Torrance/Redondo area- live in one, rent the other.3) Look for better cash flow and lower purchase prices out of state- would focus on MF properties.Once we narrow down which direction we're going in, I will absolutely reach out to those offering their services/expertise.

One way of identifying vacant properties is looking at homes that have been reported to the nuisance abatement office in your town/city/county. 

I too am appalled at the increasing inability to get a second chance in the USA, a country founded,  developed and built on second chances. 

And when developing a parcel from the ground up, investors take on more types of risk than just the construction risk.

With the case from that article, it seems to me the developer is just taking some profit by letting go of the retail space and focusing on the office space.