It is always easier to sell a product if you have a buyer that is willing and able.

I would not spend more than $100 in product on this dyi project. 

One would think if these RE gurus are confident in their product they'd be willing to allow others to speak with their students on the success of the program & how it's working for them.

All of the above.If I am doing a rehab and we have easy access to them, and it doesn't cause a major production, we swap them out, usually for PEX but sometimes PVC/CPVC.

Learn from IKEA: as an investor you have to know who your target audience is, and what products they like.

I think part of why the big banks are so bad to work with .. is that in the mortgage meltdown many LO's went to work for the big banks and they now are paid salary as opposed to mortgage brokers who are compensated on productivity and receive no salary.the other issue is with the meltdown and the need to NMLS licesneing many of the old timers simply quit the industry so we are seeing a lot of newer RMLO's that simply can't get it done.  

I don't want to waste my time ending up in a workshop with gurus telling me to buy there products for $$$$.

It was then that the turnkey companies and MAINLY because of the marketing agents or companies started to take on the inventory themselves and give a product that was rent ready or already had renter in place.. the market decided it wanted it that way..

My thought process is two fold...The Altruistic Side Of MeLower Income Tenants without the education or awareness of the major changes in building codes and green product technology over the last 15 years, coupled with investors that are not financially motived to make improvements that don't have hard objective returns have left a large portion of our population paying more than 15% of their income toward utility bills.

For most products 1/4" is enough.