Do you still "play fair" and wait the three more days to show it to Person #1?  

I personally like the long term depreciation play since it shields rental income.

Am I just playing the semantics game or is there a valid difference?

Assuming DTI is most important, I’m not sure how savings/downpayment play into it.  

Marcus Simon which neighborhoods are you playing in?

Your credit eligibility does not come into play here.

Sounds like an uneducated agent and a wholesaler playing games.Likely when based on a close to full price or full price offer there was enough in the deal for the wholesaler fee and the agents commission to be covered.Now that you want to buy it at a severely reduced price the wholesaler is trying to trim the fees to still make it work.This sounds like the wholesalers fault for not getting the property under contract cheap enough.

Read my blog "Let's play TIC, TAC, TOE" and save your money!!!

I usually save about $100 to $200 off brand new ones, sometimes 50% off show room models that are discontinued. 

Hagerstown has great cash flow plays if that is what you are looking for.