You can often find low cost materials that still give the appearance of a high end finish.

Also good materials are galvanized steels and aluminum, they do rust differently and at a very low rate... 

The managers keep telling us that we'll get to the profit soon, but month after month is doesn't materialize.  

Could private lending be used for things like funding materials for a construction company so they could get jobs installed more quickly? 

Those materials will walk you through all the basic math behind buy-and-hold investing.

However, purchasing all materials myself there is no markup on materials from the contractor.

Hi, My name is Chris and I'm just getting started, currently reading the BP book Rental Property Investing. I look forward to my new educational journey, it's very exciting!Already however I'm caught on some basic mat...

The subject property is always brand new remodel with nice material, and the appraisers keep picking the bottom of the barrel comps that haven't been updated in 30 years, while passing over perfectly reasonable remodeled comps right there on the list. 

Do you guys have some great suggestions on reading material related to out-of-state/city investing.

This is more of a civil injury litigation attorney matter than an RE one.Also agree you don't need an attorney until there is something material on paper to review and respond to that insurance won't handle.