The seller is unwilling to do any creative financing to accomplish this and doesn't want to commit to a long contract to allow us to sell our home before closing.

Use your best judgement here (and know your rights) - there's really no reason I can think of for you to not use an agent, unless the seller refuses to pay a commission and you'd be unable or unwilling to pay your agent out of pocket.If you have a good relationship with a local (to you) lender, I'd start there for advice on the lending side.  

They were unwilling to transfer the remainder of the fee.  

For whatever reason, he had been unable or unwilling to take action against the defaulting owners until recently, when he'd finally started to move forward with foreclosure. 

This would allow you to continue to screen those unwilling to invest sufficient effort to introduce themselves?

If you are unwilling to do this, why expect the landlord to provide this level of generosity. 

If the seller is unwilling to give a credit for remediation, then you should ask for a discount of the purchase price equal to the estimated cost of remediation.

It's not advertised as Owner Financed but when I asked the owner said yes but is unwilling to go more than 3 years - I was looking for 8.

Cornerstone Bank is also good and was formerly unwilling to work with out of state investors but I think is willing to now.

The only problem I see with that sort of system is that people may be unwilling to post for fear of damaging their ratio somehow.