Hi @Noah Mellor, Yes the bay area is a difficult place to get started in right now unless you have the capital.

The contractors will will be on schedule also, since HD holds the money until the client is satisfied.

This is difficult because 85% of real estate closings are traditional mortgage loan closings.  

. * if I decide to go this route, I would need a realtor who 1) knows Tampa well, 2) who works with investors, 3) has lots of hustle and is responsive, but also has a HIGH level of integrity, 4) who listens well and doesn't waste their client's time showing them properties they know are higher than the client's price range, AND 5) has patience to walk a client through a deal where the client has an extremely demanding job.

Even if you are only interested in being a contractor, fixing this property up right could be a great showcase for you and any potential future clients.

I agree with @Bob Bowling  I like making money the easy way, not the difficult way described by the post ^above^.

I've had clients take colors from a previous home and put them in there new home and wonder why it doesn't work and that's because of the colors of the materials and the lighting in the new house aren't the same.

I understand it's very difficult to say if you haven't looked at it.

Does make financing difficult.

This is true for every single one of my clients.