What is required can vary greatly from one state or municipality to another.Review the terms of the expired lease.

This varies between lenders, but generally they use 75% of the rental income (ex. rent is 1,000$, they include 750$ in your DTI) until you get a full year of rental income, then they can report the full 1k in your DTI.3.

If you google it, there is a list of around 8 different states that are currently landlord friendly BUT just be careful because states like Florida that are landlord friendly still vary based on the county.  

Quicken is about the worst lender out there.On an investment loan expect to pay elsewhere in the range of 5% which will vary based on down payment, credit and dti ratio.

I have two right now that look like they could be a profitable deal for me but I'm hesitant to put in an offer because I'm unsure of the realistic values because other home sales nearby seem to vary quite a bit and I don't have a ton of info on the other properties that have been sold.

Here are some recommendations for you:Find and connect with other BP members that are in your area: http://www.biggerpockets.com/meetSet up keyword alerts to be notified of the topics that interest you: http://www.biggerpockets.com/alertsRead Beginner’s Guide: http://www.biggerpockets.com/real-estate-investingCheck out BP Podcasts: http://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/category/podcast/If you wish to tag someone in the conversation on the forum, type @ followed by their name and then select the name of that person which should appear below the comments box.

Here are some recommendations for you:Find and connect with other BP members that are in your area: http://www.biggerpockets.com/meetRead Beginner’s Guide: http://www.biggerpockets.com/real-estate-investingCheck out BP Podcasts: http://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/category/podcast/If you wish to tag someone in the conversation on the forum, type @ followed by their name and then select the name of that person which should appear below the comments box.

Whether you should start closer to their payout amount, or your Maximum Allowable Offer, will vary depending on the "feel" you get from them along the way.

Some people I know have multiple appraisals done on multi-family properties because the numbers could vary significantly

Here are some recommendations for you:Read Beginner’s Guide: http://www.biggerpockets.com/real-estate-investingCheck out BP Podcasts: http://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/category/podcast/Wishing you the best!