Every agent represent his/her client and do what's in the clients best interest.If another offer was coming, there is high chance that the seller has seen your offer but doesn't want to answer even with risk of your withdrawal I submitted a full price offer with financing and the listing agent told me on the phone she's out of town celebrating her birthday ;)I knew right away that another offer is coming.Sure enough, on Monday I've got request of "highest and best".Leveraging by my offer, she sold her listing to another agents buyer for cash and higher than asking price.If the agent knew that price is to sell, she doesn't have to accept your offer right away.....it's in her client best interest to wait - she knows what kind of activity there is on the listing....if there were like 10-12 showings in the first day, no way she'd advice her client to accept the first offer - she knows the listing will be sold higher than asking price.Comissions has nothing to do with that - it's literally few dollars for the difference in price.

Additionally, you are not limited to only three choices. 

Why would you even want to go back to what I presume is a limited number of mutual funds?

If you have a small amount of work to do, you can apply for a 203(k) streamlined loan, which limits your rehab to $35K (less in actuality due to fees). 

You'll actually get your best pricing and experience with a national company rather than an attorney with no economies of scale and limited experience. 

Holding for appreciation is fine as long as there was no or very limited personal use by you to muddy the water. 

My challenge is limited time with the demands of medical school and family.

The maximum credit will be limited to $5,000 a year.

Regarding inspections, there was a law change at the state level limiting inspections by municipalities. so yea this is pretty normal.  

But I have credit cards with $30k limits at 4% annual interest rates and investment funds in the stock market should I need an emergency fund.