In the end, it's important to properly value your time, and it's generally not effective for you to be doing hands on rehab work. 

One thing that I find really interesting is the statement " i did not provide them notification of this problem, hence they couldn't do anything about it".I would love a transcript of that or something in writing to that effect.

The RE market in the area you concentrate in is the best indicator, rents, average prices, particular neighborhoods, municipal growth, local economic conditions.When you have rising bond prices interest rates will follow, money tightens, loans can get to be a bit harder but the real effect is less buying power from the public.

But I want to prepare accordingly to make my first visit as effective as possible and make a good first impression.  

From there it was on, I was addicted, I listened to all of Tony Robbins courses, Think and Grow Rich, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People etc... but it wasn't until I finally read Rich Dad, Poor Dad in which I questioned the whole "work" thing.

I am trying to be pro active, learn and understand as much as possible to be an effective board member.  

I've since moved over the invitation style with the yellow letter for some of my other mailings and I find it to be more effective and a lot easier to manage.  

I still have plenty of reading and podcast to cover but am looking to use my time as effectively as possible and somehow think that taking the license route will help build a better foundation to build on.  

I found a creative way around it, while I'm attempting to get a variance because it's an existing condition that was in effect for many years.

I used $500 as it was a good round number until I figure out how many are single bedroom, 2 bed room, etc as that will effect rent price.