I live in the area and sharing what I'm observing.

You're going to need to retain professionals on both sides of the border. 

3) How much is a reasonable price to expect for ongoing retainer?

I have been observing MLS deals for the past month and market seems to be so competitive. 

@Austin Eberle My wife and I faced that same tough sell/keep dilemma, and for our rental we decided that keeping it, while retaining access to equity was the best of both worlds.

Look, this is just me personally speaking, as an investor; this thing wreaks so bad of BS and lies that I would contact this PM and tell him he has 48 hours to make those funds appear in my bank account, and if they don't appear, I WILL retain an attorney and I WILL follow through with everything that attorney presents.

He requires a $500-1000 retainer (likely $500 because of his history with my mom) that I don't play on paying him until I put in an offer.

Hi Christine,The new complexes they build are typicaly pretty nice and aimed at mostly "The Working Poor" aka Low Income vs no income.The government retains some control over the owners during the buildings contractual required time to offer units to the working poor.It would be nice if the government also runs a program like (crime ridden and dangerous) Nickerson Gardens in LA to house whomever does not qualify for one of these units.It works nice when it removes urban blight from an area and replaces it with nice modern housing, and sometimes resurfaced roads.It allows the working poor, (Min Wager earners at McD's and Tire removers at Pep Boys, etc..) to live in apartments comparable (inside) to those middle class (higher income) (some lifelong renters by financial circumstance, some not) renters might choose to live in. 

Interesting stats and observations for sure.

Is that inline with your observation?