Honestly the high fees combined with lack of transparency and high appraisal costs, a whole month of UW (longer than normal), etc. would make me want to switch lenders right away because IME the lenders with high fees and high appraisal costs who drag their feet like this also tend to be the ones to continue delaying, have things get stuck in underwriting, say one thing while delivering another, have poor communication especially between UW and origination, bad customer service, can't close when they say they will, etc. and it can be a total nightmare. 

I ended up getting real estate license (while still keeping my job) grew the real estate business and continued to buy properties.

Noted and will continue with a proper notice of an increase in rent.

If I were to do this, which I don't plan to for at least a few months (I would like to properly do my research) I was also curious whether or not people thought interest rates on HELOC LOANS were going to start going down or continue going up?

I cannot afford for my first investment to not work out in my favor so believe me when I say investigation in my main concern right now.

I, personally, wouldn't continue to work with a buyer who tries to dictate how I negotiate, especially one who wants me to "repeat back ... how they'll present." 

We typically start by setting up a strategy that will maximize the tax benefits available to them so that they can continue investing/growing after the first initial purchase. 

You can continue to invest in real estate and create more depreciation losses via cost segregation to offset the recapture though. 

From there I can expand and continue to invest or pivot to hiring out agent stuff, and start having fun with investments. 

Not one penny was spent on any of that and continued to reinvest it.