1) take it to another (reputable) title company and see if you get the same answer2) If its the same answer then ask yourself "Am I the smartest person in the room?"

Do you know or have the makings of your team, meaning contractor, plumber, electrician, etc?

He has a horrible reputation.

Similar to a comment above, you can find nice pockets in neighborhoods that may not have stellar reputations, which can be a much more affordable option than investing in the more trendy neighborhoods.

Husband is licensed general contractor, plumber, electrician.

We already had properties closer to DC in less well-reputed school districts, so we wanted to have one in a good school district, as we thought that the management experience would be somewhat different.

And most importantly make sure you have/keep a reputation as a solid buyer who will close, otherwise they won't bring you the good stuff.Unfortunately pricing is high right now and that's 90% of your volume problem.

Ask which local lenders regularly attend their club and who have the best reputations.

Confirm that the provider has a pristine reputation (e.g.

You should have a plumber put a camera down the sewer to check for breaks in the line or if it is septic, have a septic inspection.