I was thinking about letting my kids live here and doing my normal routine here, letting them remain in school here, and just going "home" 4-5 nights a week and coming back before they wake up.

Not normally.

Normally they can get volume prices from contractors better than I can since they give them so much business on 1000's of rentals.

Ignore whether or not the property is a short-sale and continue your normal analysis.

Normally you can attend at least one for free and if they have the lunch meetings like the TRIAD ones they meet every Tuesday and Thursdays in WS and Greensboro.

In the past, buying a Auction.com home that is occupied has simply meant after I received the deed in the mail, either offering cash for keys or going through the normal eviction process.  

Our lease requires 60 day notice of move-out.Our lease requires the condition of the house be restored to move-in condition, minus normal wear and tear, before move out, to get full security deposit returned.We are updating our lease and was wondering if there is something legally defensible we could add...We are also able to start showing the property 60 days out.

Slice of humble pie, my math wasn't on the level.My credit score had risen and so I qualified for a much better rate. 

It is usually not a very attractive risk-reward proposition as the odds are normally stacked against you IMO.

I'd wait until I was married and get a normal loan where I own it 100% with my spouse.