I understand this will vary from person to person and could be a debate so feel free to PM me if you have some thoughts.

The town now has it assessed for $1.1M which he fought the whole way through the process as he is a lawyer and knows the system and can do it himself for free and has gotten no tax relief.

I love that the rate is fixed for 10 years, but the PPP is only 3 - best of both worlds, if you are that Texan: if rates go up, you're protected for a decade, but if rates go down you can refi penalty-free after only 3 years.Credit Union - This is a Washington State credit union, coming in strong with that 30 year amortization producing a lower payment.

If she lived in the property 2 of the last 5 years, the first $250K gain is tax free for her.I wonder if the DIL is going to buy an investment property, why not just go in on it with the MIL and then he gets it through right of survivorship.

Network and Relationships: Investor-friendly agents often have extensive networks within the real estate industry, including connections with banks, attorneys, foreclosure specialists, and other professionals who might have leads on distressed properties or motivated sellers.

I also just finished a free blueprint for building a house in FL and my goal is keep adding more details to each step.

Feel free to message me if you want to discuss further. 

But now it seems taxes have increased, additional government fees, ie lead testing for any property built prior to 2017, and also increases in sewer / water rates.

Some will be free...and some will cost. 

See here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/smarterA good place to start is with the free guides, such as "The Ultimate Beginner's Guide To Real Estate Investing".