The move cut 22 miles a day out of her commute. 

Should I have given my tenants a $150 credit for about half a dozen interruptions in the last month?

I've also been looking further up in Highland Springs North of Nine Mile.

We have a partially finished basement and we would like to completely remodel, adding square footage, going from half bath to full, and adding a bedroom.

Even if that were a common practice lenders underwrite your current situation not projecting so in your case should just hit you for half the rent

Half of it will be to convert our garage to a granny flat for STR.

The 50% rule says that half of your rent will go to expenses.

Explain to them that one of the houses needs quite a bit of work, they have been on the market for almost half a year and are priced high given the comps (and give them the comps you used). 

Master bedroom and bath. 2nd full bath upstairs with hallway bedrooms and a half bath downstairs in the main living area.

I had this done over the years, i.e. allowing tenant refrigerators, about half a dozen times, and I came out OK.