I'm doing the groundwork - learning the market, studying neighborhoods, practicing deal analysis.

The kind of experience I’m talking about is:• Fix and flip or rental rehab work• Building scopes that make sense relative to ARV and budget targets• Practical, durable finishes instead of overbuilding• Ability to move at a reasonable pace• Clear pricing and communicationFor those of you investing in Atlanta, what has worked best for you when finding and vetting contractors who understand this side of the business?

I understand the risk, though in practice it’s not always practical.

As I constantly find myself updating our contracts even after an attorney review I am seeing areas where language has to be spelled out or they will fail to hold up if disputed by renters and the ability to collect after a renter goes dark is even more daunting as the legal costs to pursue damages and then collect are not worth the effort as even you get the judgement collection is a costly experience. 

That said, in practice most teams tend to place more weight on the ability to raise capital or contribute capital, especially in the U.S. market.

Hi Ekaete - welcome to BiggerPockets, and nice to meet you.You’re in a position many investors wish they had: strong professional discipline, the ability to follow systems, and a clear reason for getting into real estate - buying back time.

In my case, management fees and/or vendor payments are withdrawn by mid-month but they refuse releasing funds until the very last day.Is that practice normal?

In practice, most investors still end up using personal HELOCs for this reason, even when the property itself is held in an LLC.The bigger question for me is less whether 8.5% is “high” and more whether the next deal comfortably outperforms that cost of capital.

Ability to take more money home (same a number 1), but you need to factor time involved etc.  

If you have ability to add an exterior stair that would solve the problem.