To legally bypass having to pay the suit on his behalf, since the only instrument "forcing my hand" if you will was the nortgage note.

The statutory definition of securities is as follows:The term “security” means any note, stock, treasury stock, security future, security-based swap, bond, debenture, evidence of indebtedness, certificate of interest or participation in any profit-sharing agreement, collateral-trust certificate, preorganization certificate or subscription, transferable share, investment contract, voting-trust certificate, certificate of deposit for a security, fractional undivided interest in oil, gas, or other mineral rights, any put, call, straddle, option, or privilege on any security, certificate of deposit, or group or index of securities (including any interest therein or based on the value thereof), or any put, call, straddle, option, or privilege entered into on a national securities exchange relating to foreign currency, or, in general, any interest or instrument commonly known as a “security”, or any certificate of interest or participation in, temporary or interim certificate for, receipt for, guarantee of, or warrant or right to subscribe to or purchase, any of the foregoing.

My household income allows me to save $20k post tax dollars a year and ~40k pretax dollars per year for allocation to real estate rather than stocks/bonds & speculative instruments. 

Infact, I'd say if you these houses make up a higher portion of your NW it's more instrumental to protect them.You don't need to layer in trusts, etc.

Instead of trying to open a safe with a blunt force instrument, maybe coming at it from another angle with another tool may crack open the safe.

We put out a lot of effort up front, charge no leasing fee, and need to re-coup that effort over the term of that lease.  

I have a hard time understanding the abbreviations on the assessors page. when I go to  sale history and got to sell instrument some abbreviations I don't understand like CVD, CD,CJ,OTH can some one help ?

I'm planning to refinance after I get this project done, I've owned the property a 1.5 years, and I think with our crazy market, the gained equity should re-coup everything I'm investing in the rehab.I've never rehabbed before, and I'm getting bids between 20-30K for general contractors. 

You should also sign a promissory note, and whatever security instrument (i.e. deed of trust, mortgage) the state where the property is located uses.If your lender doesn't require a note or security interest in the property, send him or her my way!    

I mean who writes checks anymore and who in their right mind would put a monetary instrument in the mail.