Starbucks has the ability to select upcoming neighborhoods for their stores to be built due to the fact they have a team specifically for this reason by using demographic and property data , buying up these locations before home prices increase in value with the average home within a quarter mile of a Starbucks rises in property value by 96% don't quote me on this, I heard all of this from a YouTube video so I was wondering if any fellow real estate investors have any evidence that this theory is true so we all could piggy back off this by looking into future Starbucks stores being built?

Those sellers are getting pounded with direct mail & calls every week sooo as long as you follow up & they remember you specifically you should be good.  

Providing clear instructions and specifications helps prevent misunderstandings and ensures that everyone is on the same page.

That is deal (buyer) specific.

Something like EaDo, midtown, maybe a small fixer around the heights (more heights adjacent than heights proper due to the budget) that is not betting on the neighborhood turning make the investment work.

You're welcome to mention me if you have any specific questions.  

Hard money where they finance the purchase price plus 100% of the renovation budget is your best bet.

Yes  Feel free to reach out to me directly and we can go over specifics.

As to your specific questions, I'll try to give my personal thoughts.

I went 6K over budget on this project, sold it for a bit less than what I wanted to, but learned a ton of lessons overall!!