(Now after re-reading your post and seeing you will be living in one of the units I think all of the major carriers would be fine with it after it hits their underwriting dept.Now if the whole building was stripped down to the studs that would be a different story - you'd need to have them underwrite a different sort of policy that could be converted to a non owner occupy later on, once renovations are completed.You could try a handful of the large independent agents in the area - I'm sure they would have a company they can write with.

If so, whats the story behind the house, why are you selling it?

Keep your fingers crossed for some cold storms mixed in ;) Now for the waves that is another story...this is when you see 10 footers crashing on some beach houses roofs. 

We couldn't go in and look at it directly, but I described the utility room and he looked at the condenser unit while he was doing an install on Property #2 (long story) and it came back very reasonable - $750, based on my description, but not firm since he couldn't see it directly.  

Here's my story: I have good credit and no credit card, auto debt.

There is more to the story but I'm it's hard typing on my phone.

"There's always someone in the neighborhood that knows everything you want to know...".There is definitely a story there, and more than one person knows it.

Does anyone have any success or failure stories? 

I submit that @Steve Vaughan is absolutely correct this is a very very dangerous play for the average person who has not demonstrated any ability to save money.. you just bury yourself in debt and if your deals don't go well... ( See many storied of first timers losing money) now your really Fubared ... you lost money and you have a mountain of CC debt which will absolutely hammer your once pristine FICO.Now if you have an AMEX black card with no limit or Very high limit say 200 to 500k well then go for it.

James, I own seven parks in Arizona and we are very successful with new and used homes.