(Source Calif Civil Code 1916.1.)The OP's loan does not appear to involve a broker and is not secured by any collateral whatsoever, hence the reason I made the comment I previously did. 

Local magistrate couldn’t/wouldn’t help whatsoever.

If you are new i think you should cut your teeth locally.San Marcos to Waco up I35 and east/west is doable from Austin

It's like pulling teeth to get them to examine the label. 

Don’t dance around the topic whatsoever.

Six years later I had a hard time trying to sell that house on a short sale for 200k with nothing wrong with it whatsoever.

Folks who have committed $10,000 or whatever to join the club are significantly more likely to invest in a club deal than to do nothing (their thought is "I've already spent $10,000 to join so I had better at least invest in a deal with this group.")If someone has zero experience whatsoever, this may be a good thing for them.

If it is a competitive situation, then operate under the assumption that it will be impossible to get an offer accepted with closing cost help even if you increase the price.Use an escalation clause, and use an escalation  amount with some teeth in it...no rinky dink $1,000 increments.

The expectation that you would save all that money all that time is probably a bit unrealistic as well in my estimation (no offense intended whatsoever)... just that you will (or should) find a better interim purpose for the money. 

I've worked with about 4 different RE agents in the past 6 months who do seem to be too interested in deals I'm looking at and it's almost like pulling teeth just to get them to put in offers.