It's a great option for 1st time homebuyers, but remember that it's typical for the condition of the loan to be that you must live in the home as your primary residence for 1 year or more in order to qualify!

@Brian PulaskiI have the correct tradesmans but, it is difficult to understand the scope of work without gaining access to the inside of the property until the current residents are out.As long as major work is not needed then I expect to be done within the 60 days. 

Credit unions have to have some sort of membership requirement as part of their charter, e g firefighters and their families who work in X area, residents of X county, etc.  

2) What can I do in the meantime to increase my chances of the bank saying "yes" when the time comes (if different to a US resident)? 

Namely, what would happen if one resident had a severe allergy to animal dander and a second resident requested an ESA for their disability.The solution is that the first resident needs to request a Fair Housing accommodation for their allergies to live in animal-free housing. 

There are lots of compliant residents.

Good to have a fellow Grand Forks resident here.

Below are a few scenarios we are exploring based on owning our current residence free and clear.

My bank offered a rate of 4.625 on my primary residence. 

I have six mortgages on other investment properties and no private residence.