Alex, I am tryign to follow the chain here but bottom line any back end bank is not going to like the fact that you have no w2 income at the time you want to refinance. 

Get the adjuster, original agent for the old policy, the servicing agent, and the person who issued check on one email chain.

Literally stole the chain link fence.  

@Alex Price - grew up in Tiffin - NW Ohio - joined the AF and when I separated I went to work in Springfield OH for a convenience store chain you are probably familiar with in Ohio - big company.  

I know you are in the NE but we have a grocery store chain called Publix in the SE that is thriving without self check outs in their stores.

So he (usually) needs to be 100% satisfied before the next guy in chain gets $0.01.And that's why junior debt is more expensive. 

Call County to verify Tax redemption period/back taxes owed/Tax sales/Tax Certs infoReview collateral file against Title report and confirm assignment chains match, vesting info matches, etcAs for conforming loans, it just means it fits within the parameters of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA or VA guidelines with the biggest differentiator is the loan limit of $417K or less.   

If you close in your own name, then transfer into a Land Trust, then your name is still in the chain of title. 

We consulted an attorney, and at his suggestion researched the chain of title way back to empty farmland.

The repairs truly are minor: there is a section of a wooden fence leaning against a chain link fence that needs to be taken to the curb for trash pick up (it is not attached to anything), the concrete floor of the laundry room needs to be painted, the laundry dryer vent was installed backwards, weeds need to be pulled from near the crawl space vent, the front porch railing needs to be scraped and painted, and a few other things along those lines.