Purchase price: $74,000 Cash invested: $19,164.41 Sale price: $119,000Ranch style home - 971 Sq Ft, 3 bedroom, 2 bathsWhat made you interested in investing in this type of deal?

All she has to do is adapt her life style to something more frugal, less expensive housing, reduce entertainment expenses, cell phone, cable etc.

It is move in ready and looks pretty nice, but not brand new reno style.

I set expectations up front to make sure we're on the same page and discuss my communication and work style too (I'm very direct, its a NY'er thing, and that doesn't work for some people.)  

tl:dr Yes, Birmingham is a smaller city- No it is not quieter than similarly sized cities.Birmigham is not a city cut in the same cloth as Charlotte or Dallas or NYC or Chicago.

If you build a marriot style hotel and only holiday inn is interested, now lobby finishes will not match corporate standards. 

@Ahmed Nijim the thin planks are coming back into style.

I understand that you want to find the comps in the area and you want to take the average based on the closest proximity to your home and style.

Since everyone's communication style is different and what they value can differ; every investor will have a different experience/response to each lender. 

You need to find similar properties in size, style, number of beds, baths, lot size, amenities. 3 active, 3 recently sold.