Work on improving your credit score. 

Hey @Gregory Allen Carter,I picked up the audio version of Brandon Turner's book.

The listing agent will pick up on that competence/responsiveness/etc when they call the phone numbers on the various preapproval letters of competing offers to interview (just like you did, but a 5 minute version) the lenders in order pick the one that's going to do the job of financing this transaction, and advise their client accordingly.

What's your credit score?

For that age group its all about walk score and the things they value as quality of life.

For example ... you might say you have a 710 credit score, but in reality you have a 690.

You will soon see that it takes a lot of $100,000 houses cash flowing $100/month each to find your version of financial independence.

You’ll need to check local codes but if it’s zoned duplex, but currently the use is single family, you should technically be able to convert it if you bring it up to code (IRC - the version varies by jurisdiction) which requires attached two unit dwellings to be separated by 1 hour fire separation.

Running credit/screening on all of them can give clues beyond credit score, we generally run them all at initial move in regardless of who gets on the agreement. 

My credit score is good.