They must be very low odds because insurance companies are in the business of making money, not paying out maximums.

You need boots on the ground to see who lists flips and who lists dumps.

If you allow service dog, you sure need to pay a deposit , application fee and monthly pet rent correct?

RentecDirect had MORE than I needed, so why pay for it?

Two, you'll have a much easier time obtaining a mortgage product if you have a track record of W2 income.In the meantime, continue implementing the strategies you mentioned: save religiously, build your credit, pay any existing debt owed, etc.

And than the sob stories and how the nation should jump in and pay for what they didn't cover. 

Remember, someone else is paying off a chunk of that asset.

(It doesn’t pay its own taxes.

I don't know your living situation but if your paying x,xxx for rent or a mortgage and instead by living in one side and renting out the other you will be paying y,yyy instead and y is less then x that's great, especially if you can rent out your primary residence and make income there too. 

We had an accounting system once that necessitated doing this - not ideal, but it keeps the assets and liabilities straight and AP is just an accrual until you pay the bill.