I generally do not pay for a quote for most construction type work, but for some services around here that are in short supply like plumbers and heating/air HVAC they do charge up to $100 for a quote and then take it off the price of the repair / upgrade if they do the job. 

By the law of supply and demand, that means you'll be getting less for your property.

You are in for 185,000 can sell for 280,000 and even after fees and recapture or whatnot you still bank 60-70k   Use that money as seed capital to do it again  This probably was a better flip then a long term buy and hold just based solely on the numbers you supplied   

Boils down to supply and demand.

That means that “house prices in the cities thus not only reflect the local factors such as supply constraints, regulations and zoning, but also global trends.”"

However, the supply seems very low in the area and I would need to save for quite a bit longer just to end up paying out of pocket still for a small part of the mortgage.

Also, you should speak with the neighbor regarding her insurance, and also take a close look at your own insurance policy.There are normally only two types of leaks in the scenario you describe:  a supply line leak or a waste line leak. 

Youth sports is a passion of mine as well so I commend you on raising the next generation of leaders!

The wholesale prices are essentially MLS retail prices right now because the supply is so low.  

I want to be that parent who is gung-ho at their sports games, cheering and making sure they know they're loved and supported, overly so- so my 'why' revolves on being able to be there whenever I can and HOPEFULLY, allowing my knowledge of financial independence to help support their dreams.