It looked all very nice, but, I made a comment that there was a lot of windows and it was very easy for people walking by to look insideThe agent told me that windows and open spaces were now industry standard gyms due to safety issues.

Essentially - would not recommend at all.  

Ensure it meets safety and zoning requirements before using it as your primary residence to avoid violating any laws or terms of your owner-occupied loan. 

From your post you are seeking to essentially knock down the house and build brand new.

You can use recent purchase price and go up to 75% LTV with 650+ fico if property is 70% occupied with no health and safety issues. 

Essentially paying down my principle puts more equity in my pocket for when I want to tap into this resource.

Rising temperatures, increased frequency of wildfires, and more severe weather events have heightened awareness about environmental safety.

It's also essential to understand local regulations regarding short-term rentals, as they can be strict.

I want to address space/safety concerns before beginning any kind of screening process. 

It is also a good place to search for information about a lender to see if they are legitimate or bogus.However, because the site has no supervision and essentially no webmaster to moderate the forum, it has become a total free for all for the most unprofessional, trash talking people you can imagine.