I’m an engineer that makes a little bit over 100k before taxes and my credit score is 688.

Why can't you simply escrow the costs of the road repairs with the local government or provide them a letter of credit to accomplish this? 

I am not pre-approved yet as I still don’t want to get a hard credit pull when I am between renting and buying, but I have contacted a local broker to get a soft pull and a rough idea of what I can afford as far as rates, MIP, and down payment.

How was it possible for me to buy a property and not have the loan in my name, keep the previous interest, and not have to apply for a loan and hurt my credit?

Reach out to a variety of lenders, as banks, credit unions, private lenders, etc., all have varying terms.

Any pro tips / mistakes to avoid before I leave and fill the space with a new tenant?

Like I said this will vary dependent on the lender, experience, credit score (not as important as traditional financing but can help).

While I have some basic knowledge, any advice or tips for the purchase process would be greatly appreciated.Asking price: $460,000Mortgage Type: FHA / Fixed Rate / 30 Years / 3.5%Unit 1: Primary ($1700)Unit 2: Tenant ($2000)

Thanks for the tips! 

Any tips, thoughts, or things to be careful with on doing a quick build via an “Improvement Exchange”?