Higher salary, stipends etc with the ability to put some roots down and invest a bit so I would highly recommend getting into investing when you are in a better debt situation.

I have a contemporaneous mileage log along w/ what was done each trip to go along with this.3) I am aware that for the IRS it is a red flag that I maintained a full time job over this period (a good amount of renovation work was done while working remotely waiting on jobs to finish).

Trust your gut on the red flags. 

Many sellers don't want to deal with the additional red tape that brings, and your PMI is likely to be higher.

I was informed they don't speak to borrows ( not a red flag yet), just thought maybe they didn't speak to me because they didn't want me to influence the  appraisal value of the property.  

There is a reason they have such a large presence in the grass roots racing and drifting paddocks!

HMLs are a crucial short-term solution for properties needing significant repairs, and for investors not wanting all the red tape that comes with traditional products.

I’ve read the blue (MREI) and red book (MREA) a few times.

Non-Refundable Fees are a red flag to buyers. 

The blue line is inflation, red line is the Raleigh house price index.