REALTORS® shall recommend that sellers/landlords obtain the advice of legal counsel prior to acceptance of a subsequent offer except where the acceptance is contingent on the termination of the pre-existing purchase contract or lease.

If they don't have the cash, maybe after you release all contingencies, your Earnest Money Deposit is released early and the Seller can use those funds.

She made us sign an MOU where payment was contingent on the lease being signed.

You can attempt to renegotiate with the seller without relying on one of the contract contingencies but the seller has no obligation to do this and will almost certainly say no (I would say no in this scenario). 

To invest in Huntsville, you have to put your best offer out with as few contingencies as you can allow.  

Most guests with ample notice will be somewhat flexible, however you should have a contingency plan in place for when you have a guest that is not. 

Found these 2 as highest, the lower one is already contingent so I thought is better shows the current market.

Therefore, it's vital to calculate these costs before purchasing the property.Seeking the help of a 🏗️construction professional is recommended to create a comprehensive budget that includes hard costs (materials, labor), soft costs (architectural and engineering fees), and contingencies for unexpected expenses.

I would then make sure my offer is contingent on you getting approval for what you want to do.

For example, in California, a Buyer has to actively release contingencies throughout the process.