Also look at easements (especially on the vacant land) and factor in parking driveways, will the city let you curb cut for additional access if needed or are you stick with what you have.Also look at the number of parking spaces needed for new builds vs what you have (will a new build trigger anything there), and consider if enough electrical is available at the site for new buildings.Is there a Town Approval Board or some other such PITA process you must go through to get building/remodeling permits, and how much control do they have over your actions (plus how long do they take to approve, and is it "The Old Boy Network" to get approved (???).

In answer to the next obvious question, it's also against the rules for that person to actually take a pay cut to make things right with you and what they quoted, that person actually has to convince a non-consumer-facing person in management to take a pay cut, if that's the goal.

I work as a CAD Draftsperson (3D modeling of our fixtures to create blueprints, programs and cut lists) as well as a Carpenter when some extra help is needed on the floor.I bought a little ranch 2BD/1BR house in Milwaukee (Bay View), Wisconsin six years ago and have done a lot of work to it over the years - new custom kitchen, appliances, refinishing of original oak flooring, A/C, bathroom and 6' fenced in yard.

If you go for the 20% down, conventional method of investing (which is still a good option for some) you keep all of your money tied up in the property until you save up enough to then go and do it again. 

If cutting your profits is going to result in LESS business, why do it? 

It will cut down on your living expenses, but again you'd still need a job to qualify for the loan to buy it.

The price just dropped but still is not making the cut when I run the numbers.

There is no short cut to figuring out where/how to find good deals.  

Find a broker that will cut you a deal on your own transactions...

If you start with a low number it is easier and less time consuming to add more in the bigger you get verse the other way around, and with the software, it's easier to cut out all the kicks with lease or drop one software company for another if you find it not user friendly when you have a small number.