This may make your choices more clear.1.

I'm envisioning putting in $25k worth of materials, which would give me new floors, new bathroom, new kitchen, expanded rear deck, drywall in almost the entire house, and updating HVAC and plumbing - this doesn't include my labor of course, but I work remotely, and July through October is my slow season, so it kinda falls into the perfect "pack the dog & your tools and go up to the house for 2-3 weeks to get some work done" calendar for me. 

If it was an aesthetic choice of the previous owner, it was a costly one.   

Converting a perfectly functional and useful garage into a non-conforming bedroom cave!

Don't make an irrational or uninformed decision, but just be ready to act quick, making sure you have all your ducks in a row.  2) If you know you want to stay in the northern suburbs, then perfect!

In this scenario you would calculate the 2 choices you have:Purchase Price = $180k75% ARV = $150kSo the LOWER of the 2 options would be $150k. 

Or the many hundreds of other choices like box.com, dropbox.com and so on. 

@Rebecca Knox I found the info, perfect!

Dependent on your niche, becoming an agent may or may not be the best choice for the long term.

@Andrew HaneyNational Property InspectionsBrady Home Inspections Those are my go too choices.