You can reasonably expect around 2% for loan costs, plus title / attorney cost of another couple hundred bucks. 

A more specific example is if a private investor had 135K in the deal for me to obtain the property, and I made a monthly payment to that investor for 12 months with the intent to cash out refi and pay the remainder of the 135k plus reasonable ROI... does this seem typical or is it all based on investor objective?

If you lived in it for 1 year and have to move for job related reasons you'll still get 50% of the gain up to those $250/$500K limits.Take the money off the table and look to your next acquisition close to where you're going to reside as you get to know that market.

However, I can think of two good reasons why you would want to pay off your mortgage early: 1) Let's just assume it is a lump sum and you pay off your 30-year mortgage with a few years left - this may result in a nice ROI (like paying off remaining 20k would result in a 5k/year gain), and 2) you are close to retiring and are okay with putting your cash into your property and want to have lower monthly expenses.  

Does anyone know of a good, reasonably priced CPA in the Charlotte area to help me set up all things business related? 

(Calling all investors)So, now the real reason I am posting.

The reason it is higher because you must use non-recourse loan in your IRA, conventional loan would not be allowed because IRS rules prohibit you personally guaranteeing the loan for the IRA. 

Maybe even block your driveway with orange cones... buyer's agents showing the house may otherwise pull into your driveway, implying to a reasonable client that access to that driveway comes with the home - this sort of "implication" to a "reasonable person" is where otherwise reasonable people can get into disagreements! 

Any reason why @Peter MacKercher?

Third I moderately leverage investment real estate so I am reasonably protected from a down turn (they do happen quite often).