I contacted a title agent, and used her expertise to find an investor friendly agent, a lender who could close, insurance etc.

Did you hire a public insurance adjuster?

This isn't really that earth shattering, just kind of annoying.The title insurer will usually require the scope of work and any lien waivers to issue certain endorsements required by lenders for recently rehabbed/constructed properties.Permits are all public record anyway - and often double checked by the appraiser.So - while it is kind of annoying, a lot of this work is already required to complete the transaction anyway.Just my thoughts.

They want each guest to personally come and provide the information and payment (possibly for their own liability insurance).

Common reasons:1) Change of closing date (instead of closing end of month, if it gets pushed to beginning of next month, prepaid taxes, interest and insurance will increase because you have through to months end)2) Appraisal comes in low and LTV goes up.

While Pittsburgh offers lower entry prices and a more stable rental market, the appreciation potential doesn’t quite match that of Mesa or Gilbert, making it a more cash flow-oriented market rather than one driven by property appreciation.Why Mesa or Gilbert Might Be the Better BetBecause of leverage, that roughly $100K difference in appreciation is HUGE because I've had investors just putting 5% into the deal (so a 5x higher roi). 

Also, explain how you'll share the acquisition costs, such as the down payment, renovation, and closing costs.Payment Responsibilities: Explain how to divide and pay for regular costs like mortgage, property taxes, insurance, homeowners association fees (if applicable), and upkeep expenses.Management and Maintenance: Agree on how property maintenance, repairs, and improvements will be handled, including decision-making processes, funding for these activities, and responsibilities for performing or managing the work.Single Decision Point: For example, I've seen situations where one person agreed to replace an appliance while another strongly opposed it.

Lenders title insurance policy should be obtained and all documents properly prepared and filed accordingly.

Most insurance companies are leaving state by state and stopping to offer landlord insurance all together. 

This includes the seller maintaining property insurance in their name with the buyer added as additional interest and mortgage payments being made from an account in which the seller appears as bank account holder.