Rough budget number I've heard is $50/bedroom although situational based on vendor, living sf, area, etc.Best bet is to join your local Facebook group & ask other hosts in the area or call a few vendors & get some bids.

You bet, Jim.

With inventory tight and rates mixed, some investors pick up existing deals, others go ground-up.
We’ve funded both ends: new builds and acquisitions.
Which side are you favoring this year and why?

If that's the case, your best bet is always going to be a live in BRRRR.

As of now, it appears the main thing is an active roof leak (it was leaking when it was raining at showing) and there is a wall near that leak that appears to be a bit sunken so we think there's been some settling under the house in the crawlspace.We have not seen the upstairs unit with a tenant in place.We also want to move the front door to a different wall so that we can add another bedroom and bathroom but I was thinking we can do that later so that we don't over complicate the initial loan. 

Was initially planning to hire a property management company, but after some discussion and given the property quality, I am going to self-manage.

Two quick moves: pick a simple buy box now (duplex/triplex, target towns outside Boston, rent range) and practice underwriting a few real listings each week, then ask a local PM to sanity‑check your rents and expenses.Which MA submarkets are you leaning toward, and what’s your initial buy box so we can tighten it? 

So all of the gain and depreciation recapture are initially still tax deferred.However, like Joe said, the down side is later when sold  you lose the 1031 option. the client will pay tax on all gain and depreciation recaptured from before the 1031 also. 

Initial rent totaled $2,360 and I raised this year to $2,660.

Job growth solid - do not see that happening. 4% incresase - I would bet the under on that all day long