I understand that the interest on this HELOC should be tax-deductible, and I have documentation to support the transaction.

They are familiar with you and can give you direction and documentation.  

Can you keep up and afford to have your lawyer update your documents?

However, aside from that, I couldn’t find much information about them, and the only online presence seems to be the wife’s LinkedIn profile (though I’ve never met her in person and am just going off her profile picture on Zillow).After submitting the application through Zillow, we attached our income (two months of pay stubs for each of us from our current jobs), work references, credit and criminal background, rental history, and the contact info for our current landlord (who just so happens to be my fiancé’s father).

Sometimes these types of deals require that you purchase a software to help search for lots,so we'll see.Most of the time,established people in industry are not going to come online and scam people,why would they ruin their own business in the offline arena?

They could include things like waivers for documents and appraisals, relaxation of underwriting standards and money to fund repairs.However, there are benefits for people who just live in the areas, but aren't directly impacted.

Yes, you still do online shopping and coordination and so on, but hitting 500 hours in this case becomes far more challenging.

Is it because it's a 2 bedroom or is it because it's in a better location and looks better in online pictures. 

Sure if youre looking in Brewerytown because a local agent or article online told you its up and coming, then yeah, that market is risky.

Although I had heard about them allover online, I was not sure how to find one.