The guy messaging me says he will be the primary person of contact and be paying with a credit card for payments.

The property comes with one unit occuped and they are paying below market rate.

Look into ways to pay, like special loans, teaming up, or using home equity.

The bank protects you by disbursing payments to the contractor ONLY when certain milestones in the project have been reached.If you're looking to pay for the rehab out of pocket AND want to manage the project yourself, J Scott's books provide a great manual.

I have people pay $18K for a month in high season, I can't imagine they could get away with charging 20% on that.  

Also remember, increased activity from real estate investors often precede neighborhood improvements and rising property values, so pay close attention to areas with investor interest.

At that price I am able to underbid almost any other housing situations available to them, and cover the payment/repairs to the point where I pay less than I currently do in rent.

@Brandalyn DolanNo you have to pay hotel accommodations separately 

I rather fix the damage, have the neighbors insurance pay for it, and find a new Buyer once the issue is resolved.The important question is: After I say NO to the requested discount, if the Buyer decides not to proceed with the purchase, would the Buyer be entitled to receive their earnest money back or should I?

Appreciation is great, but appreciation doesn't pay the bills.