Debt to income ration at razor thin margin

[Curt Bixel]

I am attempting to refinance two rental properties.  My loan officer has indicated that my debt to income ratio is really close, and it is going to come down to being able to verify each and every rental payment.  

I have refinanced quite a few properties over the past few years, and this has never been an issue before, but several things have changed.  Here are the two main things that have changed:

1. 1) Out of 13 rental units, I have recently converted three of them into short term rentals.  Although they are making much more each month, my loan officer has indicated that the underwriters will not count this as income. (This, unfortunately, is about $4500 of income each month that the underwriters will not count.  

1. 2)  I am a teacher, and I took a part time leave this year to dig into real estate a bit.  This has gone well, but until next August, my salary is reduced.  

I don't have much worry about getting myself in trouble taking on too much debt, as I have plenty of savings to fall back on, I can go back full time in the fall, and if anything should interrupt the short term rental income, I can always convert them back to standard rentals.  My credit score is above 800.  

I wonder if anyone else has been in this situation, and has some ideas on how to improve things a bit before making the application.  Ideas I have had are:

1. 
   Put less on my credit card each month?  (I do pay it off completely every month without fail, but I could run up a smaller balance each month.
2. Raise the rents on the tenants I have that are due for a rent increase, and do this before applying.
3. Convert one of the short term rental units back to a standard rental.

I really don't have any other debt of any kind aside from the mortgages on my personal home and my rental properties, so there are really no other loans I can pay off.  

Any advice or hints would help.  (All legal and above board please.  :)  )