@Joshua Baker, Definitely you make a good point about retail being harder to lease these days, and I can see how building 250k of office/retail would be a big gamble.

I'm sure it's helpful if there's some motivation for the Agent to help me out so I'm wondering for those who work with Agents helping you to get accurate information, do you pay them or give them something, etc?

I have called several different property managers in the different areas to feel out rents but when I am searching the entire metroplex and the areas surrounding it, rents vary and really the only way for me that I am aware of to accurately get a feel for the rents in that neighborhood is through a quick CMA.  

From my understanding, which may not be accurate, I feel like it is more of an abstract, subjective, flexible, and fluid rating based on all of those items that you've mentioned. 

The website gives a calculation on property taxes but I'm wondering if it's accurate for me as an investor?

Research has shown that if you take the average of a large pool of guesses as to how many jelly beans are in a jar, it will be pretty accurate. 

Make sure those deals that perfectly 70% of ARV are accurate. 

Zach:If I am reading correctly that you purchased the duplex for $25K, then I would say their advice is accurate. 

Well, one thing is for sure and that is that the property has sat vacant and so if the bank had foreclosed on it and got a clean title it wouldn’t be in the state that it’s in so something’s going on with it even if the story isn’t 100% accurate. 

Highly recommend.Didn't David Moudy gamble away a quarter million dollars of tenant's security deposits?