In addition, the PM charges their "new tenant fee" equivalent to one month of rent ($1000). 

me and my sweetheart have enough for the down payment on a duplex. we want to save to install a granny in law suite in the attic. just a studio unless the numbers make sense for more of course. from what I researched it can run me 32k to 65k on the cheaper side if I can use unused space.our goal with it is to build the studio then live in the studio while househacking and renting the large units then when we save up for the next duplex do the sameAnd just rent out the studio for 5 600 after wardsturning the propertys into suido triplexes.any problems I may run Into trying to do this?

So if you put $100k in a savings account with them, they might be able to use that $100k as the basis to lend out $500k... and charge interest on it.

Go driving for dollars, build a list of 500 houses (mailing becomes a lot cheaper through Canada post once you pass 500 at a time), go to city hall and look through the tax rolls, and see where the tax bills are being sent (ie where the owner lives).

I can possibly help some and I won’t charge you anything

New cabinets (all probably because of the fire)I have a couple of options I see, Go back to HUD show my home inspection and say I want the money back based on the safety issues or wait for the price to drop further then try to get it cheaper.

I am planing to put management company to manage my house, but it feels like they can charge any amount of money and i am in their hands.

What’s a fair ballpark figure for a real estate attorney to charge for supervising my process of finding a tenant; over looking the section 8 contract and my own lease contract/documentations with the tenant; I’ll be using the online tools for application, credit report / background check and customized lease contract.

As Ashamann01 said local small banks may have construction loans and less stringent guidlens but cheaper than hard money.

Management companies are almost all alike in the way they run and the fees they charge.