It's not about winning at the cost of others; it's about finding solutions that work for everyone.

Mid-priced cabinets at Ikea are perfect for a STR and would help lower costs for you!

Also, I know that by law real estate agents have to disclose if things on a property are unpermitted to allow the potential buyers a chance to back out of the purchase if it's too costly & the real estate agent who sold my friend this property didn't say anything about any of the 3 out buildings that are on the property.

EDUCATE YOURSELF - yes, it will take time, but will lead to a selection that better meets your expectations & avoids potentially costly surprises!

All of your equity will be eaten up by closing costs alone  

You will also have added costs because the primaries that are currently mortgage free will now have mortgages.

If you present it to him as 1 month deposit being returned and will he agree to accept half to settle things and explain otherwise the money gets returned to both and they will have a dispute about it for a long time potentially.

As a flipper, you are trying to control your costs to maximize your return on each deal.

It needs to be easy to understand, flexible, and cost appropriate for a small start up.

Section 8 rentals are a huge opportunity in the area, and medical students/employees at the nearby hospitals are a great pool of potential tenants as well.