@Wesley JensenFirst off, making a claim on your homeowners insurance does not automatically mean it will be raised.

So... if all is the same and the only thing a yearly lease do is 'bind' YOU then why not go month-to-month... and in fact since month-to-month automatically renews there is no 'event' for the Tenant to shop around every year.

this will automatically keep you out of C and D and half of the buyers if not more are owner occ  ( thats what you want ). 

This doesn't automatically mean it's "at the top" as you have to consider the LONG term trends, and the fundamentals driving the market.

I discovered my current mortgage is behind secondary to an increased in December; I am using automatic payments and didn't notice the partial payment notification.

Additionally I would have countered trying to make my offer more attractive other ways - i.) waive financing contingency, ii.) show poof of funds, iii.) increase earnest money, iv.) offer to pay any short in appraisal up to a certain amount (say 1% of offer price), v.) provide a low-ball offer but with an escalation clause (you'll automatically pay X amount higher than highest bidder), vii.) say you'll pay for home as is without expecting them to fix home. 

Mortgage insurance falls off of a conventional loan at 80% LTV if you request it and 78% LTV automatically. 

Then my credit union (BECU) whom I bank with but don't hold the mortgage with offered me one with no automatic withdrawal requirements.

The appointment is automatically added to our calendar.

We discovered with many other landlords or rental agencies that a voucher meant automatic approval.