Finding one worth their weight in salt is a difficult task.

I really strongly ask that you consider revising your rankings to modify them or at least drastically reduce the weighting you assign to VC-backed firms.  

I have seen this go wrong by others in the past when the other person dies, or tries to exit the deal prematurely, or doesn't pull their weight.

Would all that weight cause my house foundation to settle more and cause more damage?

As always, reccomendations from corporations will typically be profit-motivated, while reccomendations from friends, family, and other investors will typically be genuine and should be given much more weight. 

A good "investor friendly" Realtor is worth their weight in gold.

A good track record for completing escrow will carry more weight than some sketchy proof-of-funds letter from a HM lender nobody's ever heard of.Now, if you do indeed have the funds and consequentially pursue financing for the deal, that's different.

All 3 of your scenarios out weight everything else.

They said I have to show that it can withstand the appropriate weight per square foot and has proper support.

The fact that the "system" forces you to waste 2 years of you life by taking classes like world history (which you already have taken for the past 10 years anyways), weight training and god knows what else is just beyond me.