The underwriter should favorably consider a borrower for a mortgage if he/she changes jobs frequently within the same line of work, but continues to advance in income or benefits.

Line up a tenant to rent your current house now on a short(er) term basis, like 4-6 months, and if you can get 125% of your PITI payment.

They should also have a customer service line where you can talk to one of their employees who has access to a system much better and more accurate than their online version.For CA, OR, AZ, and NV I highly recommend propertradar.com.

You might have an old cast iron sewer line to the street and galvanized water line.

Any idea if they have a minimum line size requirement? 

@Nick CockrellCan you get a unsecured line of credit for that down payment instead of the partner ?

@Mark Doty For some cheaper money consider baking the repairs into the purchase and packaging it into a Fannie Mae loan product. 30-year amortization and ~4.9% interest and 80% LTV on the ARV.

Restoration company will use Xactimate and submit the scope of work, line item by line item, including any work required to test and remediate asbestos/lead paint (most likely, they'll hire a 3rd party specialist to handle that), coordinate things with your Public Adjuster, and your PA will liaison between yourself and the insurance company's adjuster (the insurance adjuster has the insurance company's interest in mind, not yours, so don't think the amount they quoted you is what you'll be entitled to on the claim). 

For that reason, the appraiser should report the basement or other partially below-grade areas separately and make appropriate adjustments for them on the Basement & Finished Rooms Below-Grade line in the Sales Comparison Approach adjustment grid.For consistency in the sales comparison analysis, the appraiser should compare above-grade areas to above-grade areas and below-grade areas to below-grade areas.

Bottom line, if you are a serious buyer, make a serious offer.