Addressing Housing Demand -California’s housing shortage is well-documented, and SB 9 directly targets the problem by promoting small-scale, incremental density increases.

What documents do they require, what credit scores do they allow, how do they verify previous rental history, etc.?

So we signed the documents and paid the closing costs.

These lenders often have more flexibility with underwriting and may not require traditional income documentation.

The lender has a duty to track their loans and recorded documents are notice of the change in ownership.The most serious problem is when a "kitchen table transaction" is used and not-recording the deed is used to intentionally hide the transfer. 

Can we obtain a special form or document to show the loss?   

Another reason I'm somewhat stuck on the idea of real estate investing as an out-of-country investor is because I plan/hope to document the entire process and post some content on youtube etc.

But after an exchange - sign the purchase documents with one pen and pick up another pen to sign the refi docs :)Another strategy you could consider is reinvesting into multiple properties, where you purchase the first property cash (ensures some security and concentrates the equity) and the second property with a mortgage.

The specialist I recommend you have is an attorney to properly draft the documents and a title company to facilitate the deal.

When I asked for identification documents, he claimed it was too many documents for an investment of "only" $10,000.