Sounds about right with the recent interest rate increase. 

I'm not familiar with the FHA rules but when I bought my house with a VA loan I got a check at closing because I increased the purchase price by the same amount that I asked for in seller closing credits.

When I sold it, paying off that loan, dropping my total debt, lowering my debt to income ratio, moving from 2 mortgages to 1, only increased my credit score by 1 point.I will NEVER under how credit scores work, but I know they affect chances of getting a mortgage and interest rates you can get.

So if the 2nd lien holder redeems, it's good for you because you have preserved your current equity position (not increased the debt via advance), removed the lien from the property, and the taxes have been paid.  

This property has increased in value substantially with the small rehab and great appreciation.

Well, about two months in one of his field agents that did assessments for him asked for an increase in commission and was denied.

I am about to purchase my first property and have been working 7 days a week in order to simply increase my investment energy.

As you go along you will learn how to refinance your homes to buy more and how to continually increase rents so that you can support those refinance figures. 

Have you noticed any increase in water bill (usage) since the new line was installed? 

Rents are already outpacing wages,  so be careful of speculating future rent increases in the near term.