3) Any thoughts as to why I received the $94 fine (Labor Law Compliance)?

. - might not be the best move from a tax compliance perspective.- non of these methods are required if you are just trying to shift income to them. - Not sure how old your kids are. 

If there is anything out there that can achieve the 1% rule and is in a decent area, you can be assured you won’t be the only person submitting an offer on it.

Our realtor has assured us that it’s not a concern, but her dismissiveness is not comforting to me.

The goal from day one is to learn how to invest on my own eventually, I can feel myself getting impatient and trying to learn on my own reading books talking with mentors, and trying to learn how to analyze a property to assure it's a good investment and or how to find a reasonable investment, especially in this market.

Have him inform them that you will be contacting them to take over their lease and assure them nothing with their lease will change with the sale of the property.

I'd never buy a property without having all the data and all the people in the area assuring me that I'm making the right choice.

He assures me that he will have someone out yesterday and have the report by today to make closing on Monday.Murphy’s law ever present, the new appraiser says no one was home for the appraisal so she wasn’t able to complete it.My lender said he put out 45 bids for another appraisal but the earliest anyone is saying they can have it submitted is April 13th.

But can't get an answer from one on how they are doing this in compliance with their broker's agreement?

above.Form 1099-S: Proceeds from Real Estate Transactions is generally issued by the real estate closing agent—a title company, real estate broker or mortgage company.To avoid getting this form (and having a copy sent to the IRS), you must give the agent some assurances at any time before February 15 of the year after the sale that all the profit on the sale is tax-free.To do so, you must assure the agent that:You owned and used the residence as your principal residence for periods totaling at least two years during the five-year period ending on the date of the sale of the residence.You have not sold or exchanged another principal residence during the two-year period ending on the date of the sale or exchange of the residence.No portion of the residence was used for business or rental purposes by you or your spouse.At least one of the following three statements applies: (1) The sale price is $250,000 or less; (2) You are married, the sale price is $500,000 or less, and the gain on the sale is $250,000 or less; (3)You are married, the sale price is $500,000 or less, and:You intend to file a joint return for the year of the sale or exchange.Your spouse also used the residence as his or her principal residence for periods totaling two years or more during the five years ending on the date of the sale.Your spouse also has not sold or exchanged another principal residence during the two-year period ending on the date of the sale or exchange of the residence.Essentially, the IRS does not require the real estate agent who closes the deal to use Form 1099-S to report a home sale amounting to $250,000 or less ($500,000 or less for married couples filing jointly).You should not receive a Form 1099-S from the real estate closing agent if you made these assurances.If you don't receive the form, you don't need to report your home sale at all on your income tax return.If you did receive a Form 1099-S, that means the IRS got a copy as well.