.- They are as close to identical as possible in style, condition, age, location, beds, baths, living area, acreage, garage and basement specs, town vs private utilities, flood zones, etc.Finally, I'd like to be sure that the agent hasn't run automated comps. 

If your main concern is the theft is there insurance yiu could buy?

I don't want to give away my identity, but for an example, we named his company 'XXX Real Estate'.

Tie your identity to daily actions...the results will take care of themselves.  

Promoting it and your brand identity is more about how you put yourself out there.

It is nice to find a house-hack deal like this where it's so lop-sided and you and living in such a small % of the overall building (rather than living in one of two identical sides of a duplex for example). 

Would love some wisdom on theft liability when remodeling and working with a contractor.

Things like increases in theft/break-ins/etc.? 

If the money is "under the table" then it can't be verified and wouldn't count towards their qualifying income.You should always require a government-issued photo ID to verify their identity. 

I could go on... it has been time to step away from the party lines and see that they are using this to keep you locked in identity politics. the current cabinet politics are anti american, anti middle class. they simply high jacked the democrat party and hiding in its shell within which they are fully evolving as a fascist dictatorship tyranny.