It has nothing to do with VA, FHA, conventional or non-qm; if the building burns down, you won't be able to rebuild it as it is (or a better way to put it is as the lender is lending on it) and for that reason, they will all tell you no. 

Unit upgrade renovation plan in-place on unit turnover, fueled by property cash flows, slow burn but didn't have extra capital to make this a fast process.

So please, burn this sh!

This seems like another way for inexperienced investors to get burned.

I probably burned $50.00 in gas alone.That's a long way of saying that your agent knows what she is worth and is well within her rights to ask for additional compensation.Of course, you're free to refuse and go work with someone else.

I got burned once by keeping utilities in my name and trusting that the tenant would reimburse me per the lease.  

If you have a short term horizon then you are more susceptible to getting burned no matter the situation.

I want to go the private money route, but although I have people willing to lend I don't want to burn any bridges right out of the gate with my first deal and no track record; incase things don't go according to plan.

I understand it may look like a great opportunity ... the probability of getting burned is, frankly, frightening.

The consultants proposed very different recommendations - one said I should pay them to avoid an arbitration, and the other said I should fire themI know it costs money for arbitration but I also have been burned by their attitude and lack of progressIf it were you would you try to work it out to optimize for money / time to flip the project?