Do you really think you can wrestle some hardened, muscle macho thug to the floor?

All contracts, options, or other devices not based upon a substantial consideration, or that are otherwise employed to permit an unlicensed person to sell, lease, or let real estate, the beneficial title to which has not, in good faith, passed to such party for a substantial consideration, are hereby declared void and ineffective in all cases, suits, or proceedings had or taken under this chapter; however, this section shall not apply to irrevocable gifts, to unconditional contracts to purchase, or to options based upon a substantial consideration actually paid and not subject to any agreements to return or right of return reserved.

This is why the moment I hear a hungry-realtor saying how they want to get out there and get with a client like yourself because there going to make "oh so much commissions" or that an agent works with "all investor buyers" I just giggle and walk-on, because that's just a declaration of ignorance and inexperience. 100%, what your doing as an active value-shopping investor, going for small-"pop" properties, it either (a) isn't worth an agents time because it simply does not pay enough for the work involved or (b) the agent is too green to know this and than, since they are so green, there no-good at it anyways. 

Financials aside, if my husband & I vehemently disagree and one has to muscle the other along, it ends up being a bad financial decision in the end.

I might seriously consider that latter strategy more if I actually had the financial muscle to flex. 

And anyone on the loan must be fully onboard and be willing to sign a long set of disclosures declaring they understand their credit is still tied to the loan that you're now paying (and if you don't pay, it damages their credit).2) Yes a Power of Attorney will be important, but for so many more reasons than the one you listed.

You still have other issues if the owner declares bankruptcy, gets sued and other such things.

A person entitled to any premises may recover possession thereof by a proceeding under this chapter after forfeiture of an executory contract for the purchase of the premises but only if the terms of the contract expressly provide for termination or forfeiture, or give the vendor the right to declare a forfeiture, in consequence of the nonpayment of any moneys required to be paid under the contract or any other material breach of the contract.

There are a bunch of reasons people declare bankruptcy and I'm not going to ask them for the discharge papers to see who the debtors were and figure out how they got there.

If he complains, tell him you will have to declare the property uninhabitable and force him to move out.