Call the GC and ask once or twice, to settle, otherwise, keep your nose away from it.

So the cert buyer gets a day or two of interest, it's part of the held-back funds and no additional skin off your nose.

If I paid out the nose for a PM, why the hell is there any issue with a new rental???

It is hard to see some of these things without physically being there.I could see using "trusted people" to be your eyes, ears and nose.

If you have been paying the loan on time for 6 months, you will have already built some credit history (hopefully they are reporting to the credit agencies like they are required to by law), which will make this a useful loan (even though you paid through the nose for it) In a few short years, this will be a distant memory because you will have built credit solidly by following a plan.

We've been putting our noses to the grindstone trying to pay off our (way too high) student debt. 

Better to know now while you still have an inspection contingency and can back out than to be unpleasantly surprised later.Otherwise, you're kind of opening a can of worms by doing it after closing and inviting a building inspector to come stick his nose in everything.

If you are flipping, consulting, managing, wholesaling, etc.RE is passive, so no SE tax. 

They always say you cannot take a deal from a realtor from under their nose because youll get in trouble, I KNOW THIS!

Even then, since this was the internal wall/ceiling of our units, they'd more than likely keep their nose out of it.