Find one that will pay the closing costs for you ... by bumping the interest rate 1/8% so you are not going backward with a bunch of fees.2) Then look at the finance companies (Hedge Funds, like Velocity (expensive)  and Black Rock and others...) 

I love the high quality of behr paint, even on dry sheet rock you can put behr paint on and it looks good.

If the report says that something needs further inspection, that is a red flag that something is worn out, like the roof.

If I pretend to be old Fannie, my answer would be something like:OK there buddy if you have all these cash-flow-positive rock solid rental properties making oodles and oodles of money, why is it so hard to pay some of the mortgages off?

I have friends that are rocking huge apartment complexes as well as friends who are buying their first property.

Real estate investing rocks for retirees!

And if you were planning on doing an area of gravel, maybe get some nicer stuff like a gray river Rock or something.

Cleveland ROCKS!

It just might mean that he has to break his estimate down a little more so you can break the jobs and payments up more.I would say that if a contractor isn't willing to do that, it would be a big red flag in my mind and I wouldn't use them.

I would also add a concrete or brick pathway to the door and also some landscaping some small trees, maybe some rock-scaping, and some low maintenance flowers or bushes.