I could buy the materials and install myself so the price wouldn't be too bad.

They approve easily and you can get a lot of your materials from there.

@Sean Todd  I don't have a contractor for you but would recommend that you check out Building Material Outlet near the airport.  

Just a quick note of encouragement to people (especially first-timers) who have gotten discouraged looking for properties in this tough market (this is me on most days).

We want to do the work ourself because we believe it will provide valuable insight on the cost of jobs, materials, and, most importantly, TIME moving forward.

For example, owning 3 Units in a 15 Unit Complex.Basically, I've seen this deal presented a few times, but even when numbers work, it's tough to pull the trigger being that you don't own the whole building and are relying management to upkeep the building and its surroundings.

@Sarah StevensFinding 3-4 units that will completely cover your costs is tough, but they are out there. 

One the companies that was considering the North East Austin multi-billion dollar development has apparently been named by several sources as Applied Materials Inc.Semiconductor supplier Applied Materials considering Hutto for $2B project, sources sayArticle link here:https://www.bizjournals.com/au...

In tough markets in California I am used to getting an inspection done pre offer so I can offer with no continency whatsoever.

It is very tough for both first time home buyers and fellow veterans to purchase a home here in the Dallas/Ft.