We often charge a fee for our time where we can give ballpark estimates based on our experience and previous work we've completed.

Further, any knowledge needed can be obtained by purchase of a “mentorship” program. 20 plus years ago, I had an investor in my mortgage funds that told me he no longer needed to invest in my fund, he would originate and fund loans himself and earn what had been our fee (points).  

Short-term capital is extremely effective when the exit is clearly defined upfront.From a lender’s standpoint, the biggest safeguards I look for are:A realistic timeline (with buffer) for rehab, lease-up, or saleA clearly executable exit (refi, sale, or take-out lender already identified)Conservative leverage, especially on heavier value-add projectsBorrowers who understand holding costs and don’t rely on best-case scenariosWhere investors get into trouble isn’t the cost of short-term capital — it’s when delays stack up and there’s no margin or backup plan.Used properly, short-term funding is a tool to create speed and opportunity.

If I am reading your numbers correctly you are saying that you are cash flowing $876 annually for a $53,000 investment plus your time, risks and unknown expenses e.g. loss due to vacancy, cleaning after a tenant destroys the property, painting, carpets, utilities when it is vacant, new water heater, furnace, air conditioner, leak in the roof, broken or leaking drain pipe, sewer, water pipe, gas leak, or replace or repair leaking faucets, broken screens, repairing locks, trash removal, city sewer use fees and a lot more. 

It wasn't a simple flat fee and the price was based on the property's value, its complexity, and the level of detail in the engineered report.

This provides a protection for unpermitted units that did not exist prior to sb13.The cost has many dependencies including the current quality (is the work to code), how thorough the jurisdiction will be in verifying to code, the size of the ADU (less than 750’ has lower fees than those greater than 750’), cost of your contractors, and many other things that could effect the cost.To be blunt a jurisdiction can make it costly to bring to code or make it easy.Good luck

I work with many investors, and have done myself, who are looking to get rid of the continuous unknown of maintenance fees and get into a new property that needs no capital improvement for over 10 years. 

Condos are tempting as they have lower entry points, but condo fees can add up quickly and aren't always the best.

I've heard from some who swung for the fences because that's how they presented projected returns that differentiated them from other investment opportunities, others were in the business of transacting and had to find deals that could work to  keep the lights on and keep the fee machine running, others struggled to raise equity and were forced into higher leverage debt to fill the capital stack along with a ton of other reasons why a sponsor may have elected to go with the riskier debt structures. 

You’ll pay a leasing fee, but you get to watch the pros in action and soak up the process without learning everything the hard way.Here are a few things to ask and study while they do their thing:How they market the property and what channels actually work in your areaHow they screen tenants and what their screening criteria is (credit, income, rental history, etc.)What lease documents and addenda they useHow they handle deposits, move in condition documentation, and lease enforcementHow they spot property code or safety issues before they become problemsTreat it like a paid internship.