For mom & pop tenants, the landlords will not typically waive these pass-through expenses all together, however, you may be able to limit the impact of the increases.

Once I get that info, I can make an offer based on what it would cost to mitigate certain issues with the lagoon.From what I can tell from my limited research, some folks swear by lagoons and others swear when they see them.

I believe I have the ability to set a dollar limit they can charge before prompting a store associate to call me for approval.

Is not selecting an applicant for a given unit, but keeping their application open in case of other vacancies (for example the application would stay valid for 30 days), the same as a denial?

That includes but not limited to: GC's, property managers, realtors, loan brokers, inspectors, attorneys.

I am trying to be creative on an offer (my 2nd deal) for a By Owner home where the owners have limited equity and have the house priced on the high end of what it's worth.

Make sure you are with the right broker who your embraces your ability to invest in properties and doesn't limit it.

It is really up to you how much you want to pull out up to the LTV limit. 

You can usually comp properties out yourself, but you need to know if there are any major structural problems. 2) I would consult a local attorney to ensure you are considering all applicable laws (usury, registrations etc.)3) This is up to you.

Then you need to know if there is a limit to how much rents can be increased in your area.