I would simply establish relationships with realtors and your investors. 

We only agreed to the ridiculously high fees because we wanted to establish business credit for new LLC and were told we could get the lump sum in our account in 2 weeks or less.

Was hands on with tenants which established trust and was able to get information.

If there is a potential for loss of any kind, then you are using their funds for your benefit - i.e. gambling with other peoples money - so definitely a place you don't want to go.

I had an extremely similar situation last year, it was a property I was fixing up to sell, the main contractor had some issues (maybe drinking, drug or gambling) and kept asking me for money saying he needed to pay the crew and has been working really hard.

Those syndicators establish investing protocol and disclosures for their passive investors.

I walk to the front and the tenant has removed thousands of dollars of established landscaping and is planting annuals in their place, which will surely die in the summer heat.

(Gambling, drugs, divorce and lust)

Know that once a grouping has been established, it must remain for all future tax years.A third way is to have your spouse qualify for REPS status.

Establish the LLC for accounting purposes but don't move the property into it?