The new standards are yet to shake out I think and it probably does cause some indigestion for investors and agents both. 

The entire Turnkey industry is slowly moving toward this where it is becoming standard for passive investors to expect this and companies to address issues.  

If your going to pay 50% at least have her go over there and do some "deep cleaning" that may not be included in standard turnovers.

If it's a standard step down, you may take a big hit on points.

Personally, I follow this standard for every application I receive:- Income of at least 3 times the monthly rent (verified through the employer)- Credit score of 580+- Rental verification with past landlords (no outstanding balances, no late payments, and the property left in acceptable condition)- No history of collections, evictions, or criminal offenses- No overdue debt (except medical debt)This process has helped me place quality tenants over the years.

Very simple - tell them to call me if they can't figure it out.I would not tell the tenant what I was doing and if it was ever discovered that I had done it - I would explain that I did it as a standard safeguarding of my property - in case the original thermostat should ever fail while no one was there to monitor the space temperature - the backup thermostat would save us all from freezing damage.

Section 8 guarantees part of the rent, which is great for income stability, but the building will have regular inspections to meet Housing Quality Standards (HQS).

any advice on paying mortgage off or faster With a standard mortgage, your monthly payment will remain the same for the life of the loan.

If you can't perform to the new standard were setting, I strongly suggest stepping back and hiring one of us who are setting this new standard. 

These are just standard mortgage notes, many made by CitiFinancial.