Appreciation being forced by the builder (typically $2-5,000 for every 2 homes they sell.

I'm just very concerned that might impact our financing for the new home.

She thinks that this has to happen as when we do eventually divorce, if I'm still on the mortgages then she would be forced to refinance to remove me....is this true? 

It's going to be tough to force anyone to move.

Do we walk from this or can we force them to repair? 

The Bigger Pockets calculator is a great tool for basic underwriting and to play around with the numbers to see how they impact these metrics.The VA loan is a great example of how your cost of capital can make or break a deal, which should give you a competitive advantage to make a deal work that others cannot.Good luck!

To my surprise when I get home, the second lending advisor calls me to tell me that the first lending advisor's manager forced him to give up the loan application to the first lending advisor.

When I moved here it was reasonable, but because of the recent explosion in the market, I am forced to find more desperate ways of looking for a home.

In MI these do not show up on credit checks as they are not filed with courts so you can let her know it will not have any impact on her, you are only doing it in case she doesn't leave you are not having to wait an additional 30 days.  

We prefer to rehab our homes ourselves - keeps us from having to deal with major maintenance issues in the first few years - but the tight market has forced us to look at some rehabbed properties.