As a property manager, it has taken me years to develop the relationships that I have where I get beyond 50% discounts from retail from individuals that do a A+ job.  

I would like to do mixed use development with retail on the ground floor and apartments or condos above.  

I may not like much of Baltimore, but I guess I like the part where the Water Department is, lol.

Building retail projects in SC side ( Rock Hill, Ft Mill , and Tega Cay) So things are getting interesting so to say.

@Stanley Denman a distressed seller typically can't wait on a typical retail transaction.

At this point its mostly retail.  

The exist out of those homes is usually not at the retail price found in the surrounding area because the school district is not where most want to be

 I would go to the building department and just explain what you would like to do and say to them that you would like to get their opinion. they will not come down on you, especially if you are upfront with them and seeking advice. some of the work may fall under the rehab code and not need permits or updating the house to current codes, especially if you do a little at a time ;) . if this is a flip, then you will have to do all at once and bring things up to code. replacing mechanical may bring up code updates, but only subject to the equipment, not the whole house.

This will identify the retail price ranges, in which you can list the rehabbed property and the price ranges, of distressed homes, you should target.You can use the Realtor to help you find deals and also use Wholesalers.

Most industrial property is much harder to appraise than residential, retail, or office.