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Hi BP,I’m about to start the hunt for an out-of-state contractor to do a hefty amount of renovations to a distressed SFH in rural NC.

They exist to hunt commisions. 

In case it hasn't already been mentioned, the price points for so many areas have now made "paralysis"  a combination of fear, and downright  inability to make deals work ( at least without HOPING for appreciation) But if you hunt long enough and stick to numbers, it should work out. 

I was in the area visiting my own cabin and wasn’t actively hunting off market deals.

I know someone very close to me who has been investing for a long time who has absolutely made a killing investing in Frankford, Juniata, Hunting Park, Kensington and a select few NE neighborhoods.

Hunting for 3 & 4.

and happy hunting!

I live in KS - a LOT of people here have trucks same as in OK, TX, NE, SD, CO, NM etc - I spend most of my time in these states - it's what we use - a lot of people know how to work on stuff around here and are mechanically inclined - anyways - if you can get other uses out of it and it will benefit you in other ways then why not - I love to hunt/fish and just got back from hunting antelope in NM - so my pickup serves me in many ways.Another way is to buy a larger SUV (tahoe, expedition/Suburban) put a trailer hitch on it and get a used cargo trailer, and a utility trailer - if you hunt around you can pick up both for cheap including the SUV.If you have no functional use for a pickup in your everyday life then dont waste the money. 

Either way maybe you should hunt down any paper work that you have from the contractor so that you can prove a contractor was supposed to do the repairs for you and he scammed you if this is what the violation is.