I live in Arizona and am just about to graduate college, so funds are pretty tight.

Ebrima Drammeh It's time to give your lender a deadline, it's a two way street, now it's time for you to push it forward.

So, be prepared to lock up tightly, the minute those people are out.

It's risky and you just try to do due diligence...coupled with a tight contract. 

But assuming you found one, your numbers are pretty tight with commissions and concessions etc.  

Seems tight though.

By setting the time of the call you've given him a deadline about when the decision needs to be made, and you've given yourself the time that you will have your answer.

The safest way particularly if cash is tight, which sounds like might be your situation, is to perform some useful function for an experienced investor, such as being a fund raiser, while following them through all aspects of the deal.  

Then I'd set the following filters1) Listing type - Check SOLD only and uncheck all the rest (i.e. for sale, etc).2) Home type - Houses only (uncheck the rest)3) Under More filter - Square feet - 1,400 to ,18004) under More filter - Age - 1950 to 19905) Under More filter - Sold in last - 12 mosFrom there I get the following comps within a block or two:a) 4bdrm/1.5, 1750 sq ft - sold for 140k, built 1973b) 3bdrm/1.5, 1400 sq ft - sold for 128k, built 1974c) 3bdrm/1.5, 1480 sq ft - sold for 165k, built 1975Thats still a little tight to reall get a sense of where it might be.Initially that would suggest maybe 140k but then I zoom out to get some more comps. 

This way you could take a renovation loan from the start because you would not have such a tight restriction on closing in 30 days.