I was trying to estimate based on what is for sale, but all those homes at the inflated prices have been sitting for 3 months+.  

It's quite odd for a contractor to not be able to provide a rough breakdown of services & costs during projects like this.It won't be difficult to ask around regarding his reputation if you're able to reach out to previous references, brokers, etc. 

So @Robert Karnes, I will say that with the euphemistically named Inflation Reduction Act maybe going into effect, that brings 87,000 new IRS agents into the mix.

Or you could also set the rate in flat dollars and have it only take dollar bills. 

I can only imagine how this market could inflate if people could get 10% down deals with little experience.

I am not sure whether commercial warehouse laws are different than residential, but it seems pretty odd that this very basic feature that the landlord should provide is the responsibility of the tenant (me) to fix.

As a side question, why do you want to start investing in the 3 most inflated markets?

It is simply the way the odds play out. 

If you try to do everything yourself, it will cost you more, and the odds of success are much lower.

Oddly enough, a coworker has expressed interest in lending to me.