Hopefully I can gain that position when we relocate.

Getting pre-approval and then going will not be such a good learning experience.As they teach you in the forces. you practice for war.

No actual step-by-step processes or practical guides to follow through on the process. 

I can speak from experience getting my license at 20 y/o and it has benefited me well, although I am also an agent practicing real estate in my market.

PITI ended up $2800. 5 years later, we relocated for my physician training but wanted to maintain our property.

I lived there for a year at which point i had to relocate out of state due to a job requirement.. question is what do i do with the condo..

That's not what you asked, but I had to get the win off my chest to the community that taught me practically everything about doing this. 

In practice, I have seen roofs that were well beyond their service life and needed immediate replacement pass a conventional appraisal without being mentioned by the appraiser.

As far as the real impact, it can depend on what you want to do with the property, if you have a discretioanry review the City will ask you to relocate the utility...which is often cost prohibitive.

Glad to see success in the 603, I grew up in Enfield NH (exit 17 off I89) and relocated to OH for college, so very glad to see that there are still good deals to be had back home.