@Bill Baldwin  do you know any good local CPA/Attorney who can discuss (in english and charge by hour) rules and ways to optimize around gifts/inheritance taxes for Japanese citizens?

It wasn't an article I had read - it was a website with Robert Kiyosaki doing the talking. www.richdadeducation.com/gift.

Are they teh best option NO, if you have or can save money or get a gift from family they are not the best option. 

The "skin in the game" should be that the PM doesn't get paid if the owner doesn't and get's fired if they do a bad job.How is a client gifting equity to a vendor "skin in the game"?  

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.So i looked up the statute which i posted above and it seems that the legality can really depend on how a person is perceiving the the property that is being wholesaled.

This second option is a bit more intricate.

(avoiding gift tax, etc) and we would need to keep it separate from his/her personal finances for accounting and tax purposes....Also, do things change if I have an LLC and use private investing the same way as listed above?

And as I stated, he has continued to refuse to answer e-mails since she sent him her notice, he has not returned phone calls, and has only called her once, yesterday, when he illegally threatened her.She was able to purchase the home due to an extremely large down-payment gift that was offered by family that, due to their health, would not be guaranteed by the time her lease was ended, so she could not wait.

If so, 3 words: Gift of Equity. 

Down payments can be gifts from relatives with certain restrictions.