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).

They put in beautiful hardwood floors and high quality finishes throughout.

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.

The beauty of this asset is there is no right or wrong it all works. 

I would love to be able to work with you down here in the beautiful state of Florida.

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.  

That sounds like it was probably a beautiful car, I hope you get another some day.

The optimist in me states that if I build something beautiful/unique, I can stand out.

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.