I want to save my FHA loan for a multi family unit in the future, therefore I am purchasing my single-family home as a investment property according to the bank, with all the such characteristics, 20% down, blah blah blah.

In a 9 ft ceiling, it is ok because you can purchase 9 ft long material and this minimizes unsightly joints.In this kitchen, the 10 ft wall incorporates a window, and the light that comes in through this clerestory style window is very nice.

If I approach a community bank/CU or private lender, it might help understanding the premise behind those characteristics, so I have an idea of my left and right limits.

"the residential property may not consist of more that four family units AND ONE BUSINESS unit except in the case of certain joint loans"With mixed use, which also in theory can go FHA in some cases, the appraisal report is going to come back revealing that the real estate agents lied to you about the building and its characteristics, causing you to say "yes" (based on bad information) when you should have firmly said "no" upfront, and then the Realtors are going to throw you under the bus and say that you suck and it's your fault (that they misrepresented the property to you...).

Within each of those cities that you listed (and every city for that matter) there are distinct sub markets that have unique characteristics, so understanding who you want to serve will help you determine the BEST location for your investments. 

Rates and insurance type will depend on characteristics of the house and whether you are occupying it or not.Best advice I can give is don't skimp on the liability insurance. 

They also can thing they're unsightly.

What are some of the characteristics of the pre-foreclosure listing that im looking for and is Zillow a good place to even find good deals, if not where may be a good place to find good deals.Thanks for any input 

Any varying characteristics can be adjusted for.

Let us know what you find out regarding the smell characteristics so we can help better.