.: Is it legal, per the IRS, to rent my primary home back to myself? 

Maybe they've been burned by landlords in the past and are being very careful.You can legally reject them based on personality, facial tattoos, body odor, or other factors, but you better make sure you can prove that it wasn't based on any protected class like race, religion, familial status, etc.

Nothing like word of mouth referrals.Either way you definitely want a way to check/verify their work before hiring them.

If you need financial help, ask under the "Finance, Tax, and Legal" forum.

You can't legally deny a true service animal.

I do plan to consult my real estate attorney who handled the closing but this is his busiest week of the year, so I definitely don’t want to bug him with something that isn’t extremely urgent until after the New Year.

Now this is with an uncontested legal action..

This is something their screening probably would have caught, or their system would have a legal procedure to deal with it.

@Shannon VistisenI would definitely purchase it and do it yourself. 

I won't be able to make the cottage legal rental without living in the primary home myself.