I'm always down to talk shop on the forums about Cleveland.

Rao Mu - I shop around everywhere for the best deals.

@Scotland Ray Smith - I couldn't agree (much) more with @Matthew Baltzell on the following two points: "You create your own luck", and "The key is to just get started"I'm a mechanical engineer by degree, manufacturing engineer in a paint shop by profession.

Local college near by, shopping center near by and military base a couple miles away. 

Also, @Paul Sandhu & @Lucas Carl, are you guys one-man-shops or do you have a full team?

I opened this thinking $8k for paint was crazy, but that sounds like a huge job.My rule of thumb is to get at least 3 quotes for everything (at least the first time) and let everyone know I'm shopping them around.

So, we've only discussed selling to investors but I can see it's uses for a hardware store or large automotive shop for sure.

Then I quickly learned why realtors want you to have a letter of approval before you go “shopping”.

I'd probably shop around for a different lender since the lender has already told you they want things fixed before they give you money and it is an "as is" sale.

They got a special loan from a state economic development body that outlines a loan for owner occupied duplexes.