Final thought is to make sure switching lenders doesn't blow a contingency and sink the closing that way. 

The reality is the opposite - if it's not in writing then the PMC doesn't have to provide the service or can charge extra for it!

A person doesn't have to like these new realities but realities they are none the less.

That is the reality. 

On paper the cheap houses look great, but the reality is they are harder to manage, have higher turn over and cost a lot more time and money.Buying before you retire is a good idea because once you retire, your ability to borrow money is going to decrease as you don't have a regular income from a job.As you want to fix houses up, why not buy a house that needs a bit of work, live in it while doing the renos and then move when you sell it. 

I see a ton of sellers and listing agents overpricing homes and end up with big "price drops" back to reality. 

I am not condoning the practive just stating what reality is..

Or, ya know, just spend the next 140 hours trying to get a self-study law education followed by another few hundred hours self-study to sort out how to avoid repeating the situation.That's the reality of it all. 

The reality is the opposite - if it's not in writing then the PMC doesn't have to provide the service or can charge extra for it.We have a 12 page management contract that we've added our real experiences to over the years, with the intent of protecting both us AND the landlord.

Putting in a ramp, adding grab bars in bathroom, raising the sink height, etc.