On one hand I can knock on the door and risk the home owner being potentially upset with me because I'm a reminder of their financial troubles, or it could go well because it puts me in front of the seller right away.On the other hand I can leave a juicy piece of marketing material at their doorstep and have them call me without any angst towards me, essentially a warm lead, or it could be they find it easier to throw out the marketing piece and they don't call.I'm curious what you guys think is a better option and what personal experiences you have.

Also, depending on how well it was constructed (r-value, exterior exsposure, and building material, etc.), will also be a driving factor of "should you provide heat/cool in the space".

Most kennels use epoxy/polyurethane coatings, as they are seamless, resist staining from animal fluids and can even be antimicrobial... not to mention cost efficient Material cost should be around .50 - .75 per square foot.

You never know when the right deal will come along.Speaking of deals, the agents should / will start sending you offering memorandums / marketing material that should / will contain most of what you need.

Some areas near Niagara and Buffalo have very poor soil which means there are going to be foundation problems and I would not be surprised if the people come down with cancer because it was used by the military for disposing hazardous material a long time ago. 

You more than likely need to invest higher grade material & better craftsmanship to gain the most spread on the flip. timing is important too, you need to reduce your holding time & cost during rehab. 

Almost 20 years old, in the middle of college, and I really want to use Real Estate as my tool to financial independence.Now I'm not asking for intro to Real Estate material or anything.

The "we buy houses model" that's not a great dealA 70% of ARV minus costs equal $70,000 -10,000 materials and labor equal $60,000A better way is to use private money is for the REI is to borrow from a private lender $10,000 for materials and labor and do a JV with the sellerThere is pretty low risk for minor rehabs with new people, and I do understand what the OP is feeling that private lender money can get you in trouble if not used responsibly.But you got to get started somehow!

Thanks @Paul Timmins for the material!

Though there are clear benefits of land-based taxation, it is unclear whether these benefits will actually materialize in practice.