Specifically when you could have used that same money 3-4 times during that same 10 year period building and selling condos.

Do you have to be a salesman for a period of time before you can be a broker in the state of Iowa?  

I would much rather lose $1000 up front rather than a $100 a month for as long as I own the property You don't lose your EMD whilst in the due diligence period.

i've had sellers agents ask that i sign a confidentiality agreement (stating that i won't share the data with anyone except partner lender). when i was getting started and calling on mls properties, i found the agents open to sending me the tax returns. how else am i supposed to figure out what price to pay if i'm not familiar with the market. also for commercial properties tehre is usually a due diligence period where the buyer can cancel the contract. that is when the seller would show you copies of the leases. 

I can make 10 offers in the same time as I can inspect one property in person.That's what the 7-10 day inspection period is for.  

I suggest you think along the lines of forgiving debt over a period of time subject to the buyer keeping the loan in place, an early payoff simply reverts back to the original amortized loan amount.

Have you actually seen credit lines being offered against non-primary residences without seasoning periods?

I show the seller basically three options, 1. they can sell for cash and pay the cost to sell, which is about 10% of the value of the house, 2. secondly they could rented out and wait for appreciation and there's knocking to be very much principal paydown, and 3. lastly they can offer the property for lease to own, somebody moves in and pays their market rent for period of time, works on their credit rating and their ability to borrow money, and then pays full price and also pays closing costs.

I am in a due diligence period on a park which cashflow-wise is a great deal.

Use a higher escrow amount and shorter DD period