Extremely helpful and constructive post. 

There are some major developments continuing construction, however; the price points are upwards at $290,000 or higher and rent rates being advertised at $2,000 a month.

Instead, try reaching out to regional insurance adjusters or property claims departments directly.

I have an agent that's recommending a new construction in that zip code.

You'll see a hike in rate going from FHA to conventional in general (especially if your plan is to pull some of that equity), but you're also going from owner occupied to investment (if you plan on moving) which is another layer of pricing adjustments.

Second question is, if we don't live in the city we will invest in, we understand we will have to be traveling often, but who could be a good person to check in on the construction so we don't have to go every week?

To beat 5.25% mortgage rate....the corresponding, offsetting stock market return would be at least double that...To answer your question requires (1) knowing what risk adjusted return you will be able to earn in the future (2) knowing what interest rates will do in the future.  

It’s a tough decision, but we’re adjusting our strategy to align with market conditions and our timeline.Having come from a corporate background, I’m used to doing these kinds of planning exercises.

While it’s not uncommon for full-service managers, you might find lower rates (~10-15%) or alternative solutions like co-hosting services, especially if you handle bookings, rate adjustments, or guest communication yourself.

I’m curious, have you found any specific tweaks or adjustments in Yardi that have been especially useful for presenting your T-12s to bankers or buyers?