It takes me 15 minutes to get about anywhere and... we have a quote unquote international airport with a less than 20 minute expected wait from car to terminal. 

@Isaak Brown Are there ways to maybe intern at a local brokerage?

It has a small mixed-use component that works with FHA funding. 

We will discuss this internally and come up with a better solution.

Since her home was flooded due to an interal plumbing issue and the insurance company is paying to remodel the existing old (1920s) and dilapidated structure (could tell by looking at some of the 2x4 studs revealed in the partial internal demolition), I decided to find out if my mother can use the money should would receive from the insurance company in the form of a check, put that towards the remodel, and in addition secure a construction-to-permanent loan in order to fund the complete transformation of her 1 bed 1 bath 1,200 sqft home into a 2-story duplex that she can rent out, airbnb, etc.

I really like that it's close to downtown, international district, and has a Link train station.

If you measure the exterior dimensions you will come up with a different amount than if you measure the internal dimensions. 

See remaining balance.principal, interest, taxes, and insurance (PITI)The four components of a monthly mortgage payment on impounded loans.

If it was a larger scale job I would have gone for something that had a time component to it.

If everything is done above board and per the Internal Revenue Code and Treasury Regs, isn't it your right to legally mitigate your tax burden?