And you have to constantly put work in - this system doesn't turn unless you keep pushing it. 

There is some legislative push-back on "junk-fees", but every example I have seen was IMO truly a rip-off.

The lender is pushing you to do this to get an FHA loan.

Apps are also better because you can get push notifications instead of checking your email every 5 minutes and apps just look better.

That's my advice anyway, other people might feel differently about it, but I would caution pushing the issue any further. 

I’d also look into using an FHA 203k renovation loan, allowing me to buy something unqualified for a standard mortgage, which would weed out a lot of competition and push the price lower.

This makes it more robust to doors that stick or need a bit more push to get the bolt to close. 

I am working to get all of the numbers straight and potentially extend or move to a new lender to push this through.  

If you feel that youve been thorough in your due diligence and have eliminated/mitigated as much risk as possible, then then the feelings are just discomfort that must be pushed through. 

The regulatory push in some HOAs has been stalled due to the STR victories over The Hideout.