We have not pulled the trigger yet with them, but I did find a close circle friend that has used them in the last few months and it went very very well.

Overall, I’m loving the learning process and am getting close to a pull the trigger point.

The owner has a mortgage on it that is not assumable.Is there a way to purchase the LLC that holds the building/mortgage or will that still trigger a due on sale clause?

Then change the locks and list it with a realtor that only answers to you. 

I have been told by one very reputable RIA and a separate 1031 company that after I have been in the REIT for at least 1 year that I can pull up to my original basis out of the REIT without triggering any capital gains tax. 

These include (but are not limited to);a. a drop dead date for her to refinance and take you off the mortgage (5 years, whatever);b. trigger events for her to refinance regardless of date (birth of child, remarriage, failure to maintain the house physically, cease using house as primary residence, failure to pay insurance or property taxes, no "subject to" sales and etc., etc).and no doubt a host of other things.Then there's your remedy if she fails to keep her end of the bargain, including who gets appreciation, right to possess or maintain, etc.Your credit score is far down the list of concerns

Tenant left the key in the lock box and the contractor, a handyman, took care of repairs.

Just weigh your options with an experienced agent, and choose what's best for you.The only thing I might suggest before you pull the trigger on complete removal of windstorm coverage altogether, is to see if you can get quotes with 3% and 5% deductible options. 

Some places are evening putting behind the counter now or in locked cases.  

If you underwrote the deal according to your methodology and it netted 5-10%, you'd pull the trigger if the level of risk you're taking to achieve that result is within what you're comfortable with.