Legally, she can't sign a purchase contract with you until she officially owns the property after probate is filed.The pre-lim report may or may not show debts from medical, but for sure with the SI title would be satisfied with that.  

I got approved for 150k through a conventional at 3.5% down and 5% interest. 

@Patrick Philip there is a lot of legal jargon in them to keep you and him completely safe.

Real estate agents have NO CLUE as to what is correct and legal!!!

What are optimal times I should call, and are there certain legal restrictions I need to be aware of?

This is completely legal and has withstood many court cases.

We owned a 2 bed 1 bath that we purchased in 2006 and shortly after buying it we learned from the city records that the 200 SF bonus room was not a legal addition and the walls were basically poorly mortared cinder block on a concrete floor that was covered up with drywall to make it appear like a finished space.

I did get approved for the mortgage, with a conventional and low down payment.

Pick some properties that interest you and have solid cash flow, but please ensure you have a pre-approval ready to go when something really catches your eye.

I was able to get approved for MCD and build a triplex (couldn’t fit anything bigger).