I've already applied and am just tracking everything to submit once the renovations are completed.

You submit usually 5 sets of plans at the front counter of the Planning Dept.

I don't want to purchase any expensive software just for these basics.

Commercial lenders also require you to submit your financials to them every year. 

Just ask @Russell Brazil what happens when an unrepresented buyer submits an offer on one of his listings.All this to save 25% of $3k?

The Fayetteville area is more in my price range at the moment and I actually submitted my first offer on a rental property last night!

Before submitting my application, I would like to know whether it is at all possible to use an FHA and get around the required residency?

I grew up with parents that invested in a few rehabs back in the day, and looking to get into this same thing myself.I'm a software engineer so I'm more on the analytical side, but my hope is to get some traction in the rehab side of things and scale up from there.

That was eight years ago so I'm sure it's completely different.You'll never find the perfect software.

I would find a local buyers agent and submit your offer on the numbers you want.