It seemed like a good time to buy, so I started educating myself and shopping.    

Does this present more of a challenge when shopping for loans to pull your capital out?

I have thought about shopping energy providers...Thanks!

Shop around.

I grocery shop every week.  

I would say it's similar for material purchases since they are pass-through costs - zero incentive to bargain shop for you.  

It definitely pays to shop around: The price can range between $195 and $250/300....Although the difference in price may be due to higher quality of customer service and real estate expert/s to whom to ask questions about the material, but the actual course seems to be the same everywhere.

My plan (abbreviated) is to find plain but nice homes in decent areas, (not "high end" areas, just decent, where the shrubs are trimmed, older established people live, etc.) single story to appeal to older folks, close to shopping, etc. -- neighborhoods vs. busy main roads -- buy so that I can charge approx. 1% of purchase price for rent (ex. 80K house, 800-850 rent) tenant pays everything (heat, elect, etc.) - I own a lawn care and snow removal company, so I can offer my services there.Nice little ranches and capes around here, with vinyl siding, fairly recent furnaces and roofs are anywhere from 89-110k.

It has been in the shop repeatedly and cost several thousand dollars to repair.

Anyhow, I am shopping for landlord carpet now, not primary residence carpet.