@Lee Rimmer a holding deposit put down to hold a house for you is not refundable if you change your mind and don't want to live there.A different house could have a totally different landlord and different policy.You say it was still "up" and not off the market, but a lot of the listing websites online can take a LONG time to update status.

If you're on this site, because you want to invest in real estate in the future, then a +800 credit score is worth gold.

Add a strong guest policy, that guests can only stay so long without prior written permission.

It is worth keeping in mind that the Fed controls the short-term rates, not the long term ones (now that they stopped buying long term treasuries and even then it was indirectly), which are much more influenced by the long-term expectations of inflation and the international flow of money (think, is there instability in Russia that causes Russians to pull out their money out of the country and invest it in the safe-heaven like US, is the unpredictable and shifting US policy going to keep the US dollar's status as the de facto world currency, etc).

I am putting money in gold/silver (I'm not a gold bug, I don't think it's always good to buy, and it's certainly not a way to get rich, just a way to hedge against economic downturns, as it tends to go up when other markest go down), and rentals, as people still rent during down economies (though you have to account for increased evictions).

It's the golden rule, they have the gold they make the rules. 

So the best way to target these women would be to target those that changed their status from single to engaged.

The 100 mile rule that Chris mentions is true also so you'd need to meet both in order to use rental income to qualify however, if you have "enough," income to qualify for both homes with out "rental income," then you can avoid these pesky guidelines.Below are reminders of several sections of FHA Handbook 4000.1 that apply to the “FHA 100 mile rule” Departure Residence Rental Income: Using rental income from a property being vacated by the borrower: If rental Income is being derived from the Property being vacated by the Borrower, the Borrower must be relocating to an area more than 100 miles from the Borrower’s current Principal Residence.Multiple FHA loans: A Borrower may be eligible to obtain another FHA-insured Mortgage without being required to sell an existing Property covered by an FHA– insured Mortgage if the Borrower is: Relocating or has relocated for an employment-related reason; andEstablishing or has established a new Principal Residence in an area more than 100 miles from the Borrower’s current Principal Residence.Military Personnel / Occupancy: The Lender must obtain a copy of the Borrower’s military orders evidencing the Borrower’s Active Duty status and that the duty station is more than 100 miles from the subject property.

I recommend @Sharon Tzib - she's highly knowledgeable, helpful, and knows how to work with investors  :) She also helped one of the podcast guests (Kevin Wood) buy an apartment complex in The Heights. 

Personally, I am planning a strategy of only repairing areas where the peeling is excessive i.e. the guest bathroom and guest bedroom.