If you have decent credit and any kind of a track record, you can get it lower. 

Going these route, your cash flow will be lower as you will have to repay your higher loan from day 1, no matter if you invest the equity you got back, or not.    

So you want him to lower it?

I am getting pretty frustrated because every offer I have put on a property with the intention of renovating has not been accepted and when I find out how much it ended up going for my offer is always significantly lower even though most of the time I go in above asking price.

My main challenge as a part-time investor is being lower on their buyer's list but that just logical business.

Quicker close, lower closing costs, and better rates....

Duh - try lowering the price. 

Here is the quick pros and cons on both.Gloucester: Pros -  Good tenant pool, strong schools, most houses have public utilities, consider the more desirable area of Sicklerville by the local populationCons - higher taxes, pulling permits takes the full ~21 days, higher home prices, overall thinner marginsWinslow:Pros - Lower cost houses, rental friendly township, strong demand for rentals, slowly up & coming in certain neighborhoods, lower taxes, overall fatter marginsCons - Lots of C and D neighborhoods and lackluster tenant pools, poor schools, the more east you get the more well/oil/septic you find, considered less desirable area of Sicklerville by the local populationBy the numbers both GC and WT have similar rent rolls only off by $100 to $200 depending on the house type, therefore Winslow you will net more but have a slightly riskier houseAgain this is just a general view, you'll want to look at each sub-division as there are massive swings within each twp (Ex: Brittany Woods compared to Cobblestone in GC)

I can put in the extra cash, its just an annoyance and lowers my ROE in the intervening time.

Other openings between the garage and residence shall be equipped with solid wood doors not less than 13/8 inches (35 mm) in thickness, solid or honeycomb-core steel doors not less than 13/8 inches (35 mm) thick, or 20-minute fire-rated doors, equipped with a self-closing device.R310.4 Bars, grilles, covers and screens.Bars, grilles, covers, screens or similar devices are permitted to be placed over emergency escape and rescue openings, bulkhead enclosures, or window wells that serve such openings, provided the minimum net clear opening size complies with Sections R310.1.1 to R310.1.3, and such devices shall be releasable or removable from the inside without the use of a key, tool, special knowledge or force greater than that which is required for normal operation of the escape and rescue opening.R314.3 Location.Smoke alarms shall be installed in the following locations:1.In each sleeping room.2.Outside each separate sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of the bedrooms.R315.1 Carbon monoxide alarms.For new construction, an approved carbon monoxide alarm shall be installed outside of each separate sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of the bedrooms in dwelling units within which fuel-fired appliances are installed and in dwelling units that have attached garages.Note: In Washington State CO alarms are required on all homes sold.No egress thru other bedroom?