So for 500k loan I would expect 5k fee 1k apprasial and 3k title and escrow.  

There are so many things that need to be done, onsite trips, QC stuff and more that you will miss if you are not doing this by driving over and checking out what is going on.The other day I was subbing out a project (cost way more than expected even subcontracting it out), and the guy doing the bathroom window did not level it.

Most require experience in your venture as a requirement, before even considering the Real Estate angle.I would expect negative cash flow for the first year as part of your business plan. 

@Tracy Thielman I continue to adjust actual average cost to maintain my properties and the expectations when thinking about buying another.

They identified way more 5-year assets than I expected, and the deduction paid for the study several times over in year one.

With rates higher and sell-through slower, those days on market add up fast.What's worked for us: build in a 10-15% contingency buffer on every rehab estimate (not 5%), be conservative on ARV comps, and stress-test the deal against a longer hold timeline than you expect.

On paper, new construction seems “easy” to self-manage:• Lower maintenance (initially)• Builder warranties in place• Fewer system failures• Higher tenant demandBut I’ve seen some tradeoffs too:• Warranty coordination can still be time-consuming• Lease structuring matters more in A/B class neighborhoods• Tenant screening expectations are higher• Rent pricing has to be dialed in, new builds often sit if overpriced• Investors scaling to multiple properties hit bandwidth issues quicklyIn Birmingham, Huntsville, and Atlanta, we’re seeing strong demand for newer inventory, but also more competition in certain submarkets.For those who’ve owned new builds for 1–3 years:Did you start self-managing and switch later?

Yeah, you'll get a lot of interest and response by saying nothing and expecting something.....

I don't expect perfection, but I would hope that my accountant invest a reasonable amount of time in a timely manner to us.

During construction do you pay interest only payments or do you pay towards the expected construction cost?