You can ask the local police precinct for crime reports within that neighborhood to get a better feel for the safety of the area.

Would you rather purchase a property prematurely, not have enough funds and suffer from consequences or be financially secure, ready and then go for the right deals with safety/security?

The issues on the inspection report were few and mainly related to safety which speaks to the quality of the rehab that was done (e.g. no expensive CapEx items). 

I'd ask your engineer that question and say you honestly want to know (Hanlon's Razor) if he dropped the ball on this one or if he had a reason not to call/email DOT before pushing your final design through permitting.It sounded like he expected the possibility that DOT may flag the project and had a plan to respond. 

She ate up a lot of my time and neighbors were concerned for their safety.

A property is considered Uninhabitable if "A condition that materially interferes with the tenant's life, health, or safety." 

People are moving to North Port because of its lower-than-average crime rate, Peaceful neighborhoods and It is safer than the majority of the country and is in the 78th percentile for safety, making it a terrific choice for families.

Or wait until we have 2 incomes to build more of a solid financial safety net. 

Put safety first by looking closely at homes, guessing fix-up costs, working with good workers, and having backup plans for surprises.

You can always try check with the city's planning or building & safety departments to see if they have any type of file related to the parcel, and if they do, if there is any due diligence in the file, i.e. soils, etc.