For example, the areas economically influenced by NYC commuters: Westchester, Rockland, Dutchess, Putnam behave very differently than areas influenced by NY State employees from Albany, or farmers from (not sure?).

.”― Derek Sivers Reminds me of the "grit" factor https://www.youtube.com/watch?

This could be a significant factor in why housing prices are still so high.

If you're looking to buy value-add deals, a lot of investors I work with start doing BRRRRs with cash purchases and refinancing out so they don't have as many risk factors involved.If your market is seeing any kind of appreciation, I think it's smarter to leverage your money to get the bigger returns. 

Then the home was always used as a residence from time of purchase up until the last 2.5 years or so, which is NOT to be included as "non-qualified use", so the "Home" version should have 0 non-use days by the days owned, making my non-residence factor a big fat 0%, which multiplied by the gain makes my non-qualified use gain another big fat $0, meaning that my gain that is eligible for exlusion is 100%!!!!.......

I'm a big "life doesn't exist on a spreadsheet" guy, but I'd suggest letting the numbers influence your decision rather than the hesitation to let the once in a lifetime rate go.

@Ryan Moyerit's more like 'rent influence' than 'rent control,' right?

Different circumstances, different economies, different geographical areas and different players all have tremendous influence on the success or failure of a strategy , or tactic.  

The bank may have been influenced by the fact that we had previously borrowed and then paid off 2 loans totaling $5 million also secured by single properties (with no personal guarantees).  

More over due to fact it's just appreciation/equity play's, adding an amplification to that risk, and now with threats to active income, yet another amplification to risk factor.