Knowing that this man was a spouse, on temporary leave, in my mind should have warranted an exception.  

I'm familiar with the 50% rule, but I thought this one warranted a closer look. 

I purchased rental property on April in Soth CA, now is raining season, the tenant report the roof is leaking, the seller has house warrant insurance, but insurance does not cover roof leaking. 

I am completely up front and honest with people when negotiating a deal for myself, or talking with people about their properties...I tell them directly that I am a real estate professional...I am a real estate broker, also an appraiser, investor, landlord, and problem solver...I don't want there to be an confusion on this matter...if and when I get to contracts then complete and full disclosure is warranted...at the end of the day its all about the math, the deal works or it doesn't...just my opinion !

Might that warrant a lower monthy rent than a 12 month lease?

This does not warrant any such action.  

This is a "non-warrantable" unit because of your ownership.

It's to be used for quick and dirty looks at opportunities to see if they warrant a detailed analysis like @J Scott and @Bryan L. mention above.Remember, real estate makes money in 3 ways, cash flow, appreciation and mortgage pay down. 

This is another area that can be a little tricky (but honestly, if you're getting anything for that cheap - you'll probably be just fine).Regarding your title search method, I think the low purchase price can warrant this approach, but rather than just relying on an online service to tell you this, it wouldn't hurt to do your own independent title search (looking at the documents that the county has on record), just to make sure you're seeing ALL of the relevant details, first-hand. 

Hello all,I'm looking to get a couple more rentals this year and after speaking with a loan officer with a specific bank, I wondering if he's being overly conservative or if it's all warranted?