Just like your ability to turn down business, Realtors have the same ability, and will exercise it when faced with the opportunity to do alot of work for low risk of return vs working with another Buyer, Seller or Investor who provides better opportunities to close deals.

I also have properties that I didn't transfer because I didn't trust the lender not to exercise the clause or I couldn't afford to bail myself out if they did.

You can get your earnest money back by exercising a contingency in your contract.

If the situation still exists then, we will exercise our legal right to begin eviction proceedings or end the rental agreement.Yours truly,_____________________________________Landlord

I want to run numbers on numerous properties before pulling the trigger, as an exercise, so I am better prepared when I am ready.

You would then share a copy of the estoppels with the Vendor and work through any discrepancies between the estoppels and the information supplied by the Vendor.You would go through a similar exercise with any service/supply contracts for the property (i.e. snow removal, janitorial services, HVAC, leased laundry units, etc.). 

This plan is more so just an exercise for me to think ahead, and about every aspect of land lording so I can be as prepared as possible. 

only pieces of furniture are a bed, small couch and a strange piece of exercise equipment.  

I've always exercised the idea of real estate investing but never had the capital.

At one time this was 100% me - finding deals and finding the money after.The exercise of finding good deals where I couldn't close was very frustrating.Now I have more money than I can use as I changed my thinking.