To do so requires an intimate knowledge of the areas, streets, tenants, city, rental laws, and everything having to do woth construction

Plus we were the first tenants in his new construction.

(people pay a lot for that though)i currently work in construction and my girlfriend of 5 years is working on her RE license right now i have definitely been reading her books as she finishes. following her into that sounds like a good idea. i had also considered getting into home inspections.

I'd love to pick your brain about what the status of the wholesaling market is here.I have a background in construction and construction project management so I expect fix and flipping to be in my future once I get the ball rolling on the cash side.Osiris

How much would finished new construction sell for?

In my opinion, lot investments are best in a hot construction market or if you get for deeply discounted price like at a tax sale.  

However, I have to say, Cuba will offer a very good opportunity for landlords, investors, construction companies and travel related industry, including the vacation rentals.

The cost of other (non-new construction) houses in the neighborhood have no relationship to the cost you'll incur to build a new house.Your costs will be based on a lot of factors:- Location- Level/type of finishes- Style of house- Size of house- Whether you GC it yourself or hire a builder- The types of contractors you use- Your negotiating ability- How strategic you are with your designs to keep costs downI've built houses for $60/sf, and I've built similar houses in other locations with different contractors for $90/sf. 

That area is long gone and is only good for new construction at this point.

Here it is:Last week I called up a family friend who has been working in real estate for decades... he's an agent, owns his own construction company, and is getting old :)I wouldn't call him a sophisticated investor, but he has the skills I lack and I think we're very complementary.