(I will insist on a contract, but I don't want him to think I don't trust him.)

Ask but don't insist. 

We really stretched ourselves thin. we did not perform our own inspections because we were busy raising finances .. and our agent insisted we use the same company who did the initial inspections to “get a report in our name” .. we went for visual inspection with our agent and found the master bathtub was  upside down — they said there was a chip and seller was fixing the tub.

Even the better ones among them are no experts in tax law and often come up with (and insist on) totally random positions contradicting the law.

@Matthew PerezI know some people insist on connecting directly with hospitals/travel-nurse placement groups or with insurance companies.

I tried the same with Fidelity several years ago, however they insisted that I keep 7 figures in brokerage (outside of private equity), so we didn't stick around long... in fact Im all but liquidated there myself.

If a Buyer absolutely insists on placing it with the title company then we require that they sign a Release of Earnest Money at that time before the contract is considered executed.

If you insist on going the path of becoming an agent, I would try to qualify for a loan (or find a creative way to finance) prior to leaving your current position.

I dont know any agent who would not insist on this.

Looks like Landlord wants to terminate the lease without costs to him, he gave me a check for the security deposit (with memo noted: lease cancellation) and keeps insisting that I cash itI didn't agree nor imply that I want to terminate the lease and I didn't cash the check