@Andrew Jessup I would suggest going into a land trust first that is owned by the LLC (not in California) and then that owned by your living trust. 

Goal: To establish trust, recognition, and familiarity in the marketplace.

You want to build trust with people first.

Along with the note and mortgage or deed of trust the borrower signs a warranty deed transferring title to the lender.  

What’s the purpose of the trust?

I would like to be somehow hands-on because based on my experience with property management companies, I do not like them, and I would not trust my units 100% with them. 

Not that things don't go sideways when agents are involved, they certainly do, but at least agents for the most part are educated on how to detect scammers, how to protect their clients, which title companies and lenders to trust, how to vet buyers, what to watch out for and how to avoid bad situations.

But if a buyer is simply trying to squeeze you, trust your knowledge and move forward with confidence.This deal turned out to be a home run for us.

I dont have much specific advice to help you with this one as it appears you may have just blindly trusted the system you bought into and now find yourself in a pickle.with these types of assets it rarely gets better so careful throwing good money after bad.U may need to just liquidate and and regroup.I dont suppose the company you paid for all this education and system is stepping up for you hear in a financial way ??

Not getting at least a title search is off the wall crazy.Land contracts/trusts will work but they are passive trusts and individual liability will continue.