its paranoia time..

Corporate veil, anonymity, paperwork and paranoia level. 

I tend to avoid any applicant that may have paranoia issues. 

Well, crap now my paranoia is pinging me, no sleep for me tonight, I will have to really make sure I protect my assets on the quitclaim deed, can anyone just do that so randomly?

If you have to choose between looking like someone who is overly suspicious to the point of paranoia or someone who's trusting and credulous (and some of your tenants will certainly make you choose) PICK PARANOID EVERY TIME.

Here's where I'm stuck: I have some sort of paranoia of talking to people and asking them to give me answers without me providing any value to them.

If you have those and you use all the other products you mentioned, I think you might just have some paranoia dude.

This is not just paranoia, it is good business. 

With regards to what you said, Nate, my paranoia rests on how easy it is to "cook the books."

Most people are decent people and you shouldn't have to spend a ton of money to quell your paranoia.