(This is legal in our area because of our building class). 

Pre-approvals for loan should not take 30 days, they shouldn't take a week, heck in most cases it shouldn't take more than 1-2 days.

Eventually the LPs sued the GPs (mostly because of me) and we recovered the principle amounts plus legal fees but it took almost 10 years to get the money back.

Are hard lenders easy to get approval or need sell your soul?

I would recommend you hire someone to help you with legal issues if you don't already have someone.

Some websites sell "certification" for support animals not issued by a doctor, BUT there are now websites with actual doctors selling service animal prescriptions, and legally we must accept them.

In terms of protection a property under an LLC with S corp option would most likely give you both the best legal protection as well a give you the best tax advantages, coupled with strong property insurance and possibly umbrella insurance.

In most cases, you can have an addendum waiving such things (check with your attorney as I am not giving any legal advice). 

Also, another hurdle is my employment situation has changed and I'm now self employed which has made getting approved for a loan for the time being rather difficult.

Assuming a mortgage is not a Sub2.Sub2 or taking title subject-to refers to taking over legal title to the property subject to the current financing, encumbrances, liens, etc.If the prior owner is now a leasee, hopefully you structured that well and setup and fund a new tenancy as soon as title transfers over to you so that the rights and duties of both parties were clearly laid out.If they arent in a contract any more you can give them a notice to vacate and the proper time to leave depending the local tenant landlord laws in your area.