A process is far more important. 

What are some standard process or contracts needed before the partnership to make sure both parties are protected?

I'm in the process of meeting and vetting two (for now) Cape Coral builders who might have the expertise and bandwidth to take over partially built projects like yours.

The borrower's experience is important, but what's more important is the "Hard Asset," Hard money lenders rely on their due diligence process to determine the potential future value, review the renovation plans to get to that value & sometimes even the contractor.  

Should I be prioritizing finding a local expert, or are there tools and strategies I can use to handle this process myself?

Quote from @Reginald Glascoe: I definitely don't want to start this process over again. 

Nothing new on the conversion process since an update 3 weeks ago, which didn’t say much.

You tied up 70k and a minimum of 6 months just to go through this process. 

Also remember just because a loan may qualify as being assumable the lender will go through a thorough underwriting process to confirm you meet eligibility for the loan.I have seen a guru teaching people with poor credit to go after these types of loans and it’s unfortunate as many would most likely not qualify.

The process of flipping and rehabbing isn’t just about the renovation itself—it’s about having a clear, long-term vision for the property and executing it step by step to bring that vision to life.