Don't get me wrong, I am not against banks, if you do go that route, having a local/portfolio style bank can be helpful to create a long-term relationship. 

@Clifford PaulI like your style, I might have to take your idea of scotch and cigars!

No need for special patterns in the slab, go for color and style something more generic and cheaper.

So I'll go ahead and apologize ahead of time because I often have run on sentences and typos everywhere because I use a voice to text feature so I can even use my phone while I'm driving a front-end loader. A simple q...

Depending on the current siding and style of the house, you may be able to get away with siding the lower half in the Hardie. 

We love midcentury ramblers/ranch style homes.

I've never even heard of an electrical surge frying appliances, although I have heard of tree roots destroying old terra-cotta style sewer lines.  

@Luke Gates - I started a new project that I was going to rent by the room (house hack landlord style).

This changes my thinking on the new property in that either my offer price goes down on the new place or I will have to rent our current house as it is way more finished out thus attracting the life style tenant.

The most common portfolio style loan in Texas is a 20 year adjustable rate loan.