Welcome Drake,You've landed in a great community of lenders, investors, agents, CPAs, Attorneys and wholesalers.

I am an investor and also own a handyman service that rehabs and maintains all of our properties. 

Investors can't predict the FED, economic outlook, and future rates cuts (100% correct) so it's sort of a bet you think rates won't come down (free refinance opportunity). 

Investors come to our market because of the low barrier to entry and that we have a solid tenant base that provides solid cash flow to out-of-state investors like yourself.

I am a Real Estate Broker myself who has helped over 400 other investors.

Our rehab cost estimation comes from researching the area and talking with local investors that have similar properties. 

If you pay more, you won't meet your metrics and will probably have negative cashflow and/or equity.You may have to make 10, 20 or even 100 offers to get one accepted at the price that meets your numbers.This is what all investors did BEFORE the Great Real Estate Crash of 2008-2010.

When you called, and it seems many did, the scammer answered the phone using my name (though I understand with a heavy foreign accent).

I do get hesitation of investors to be frugal on pre-closing expenses, but it's almost always illogical. 

I'm eager and willing to become as valuable as I can even if it means being an assistant to a seasoned investor or working for a brokerage for a while.