We got burned a little at closing due to the imprecise verbiage in the repair credit documentation. 

Homestyle does not allow for ground up construction only for a major rehab but also limits you to 75% of the after repaired value.  

If the property is not rented you can get a fix and hold or a bridge loan to complete the repairs, these loans are DTI sensitive.A couple things to do.1.

I did all the repairs per spec and under budget and was even able to add four palm trees to the front, a pool heater and fence in the backyard which should have made the value go up! 

@Ryan ChatmanInteresting im also in the lehigh valley, where i work at i see mostly window units if there is no option for central AC what kinda cost for repairs do you see over time and how often do repairs even come up?

It should never be applied towards rent, repairs, or anything else.

Check and double check current numbers and repairs.

Up to now I aimed to maximize the Repairs and Supplies categories of my Schedule E, to make sure I have as large a deduction as possible.  

In my experience, the insurance adjuster is the one who identifies damage and determines what needs to be repaired/replaced, then the roofer is hired to complete that work.

It shouldn't take more than five minutes.There's not much you can do to accelerate the process with cleaning and repairs.