Try running the water into airtight environment like a bag or bottle to prevent dissipation of gaseous elements.

It's mainly to prevent straw buyers- also to see the borrower has skin in the game.

The policy mostly to prevent straw buyers (an investor using your name and credit to buy a property, and his down payment), but also to ensure the investor has skin in the game.

My plan doesn't qualify because various services for non-preventative care are covered (with a copay). 

you got a lot of unnecessary items.  

If a 10k EM deposit is unnecessary (in my eyes) for a home which is 100k. 

Sure, they can break a lease, but most reasonable people, under threat of lawsuit, or bad credit, will follow their lease simply to prevent any trouble.

You may want to take advantage of the fact that you are in different areas of the country and select one of those areas.A partnership of the same skills, in many cases, makes a partnership unnecessary (or makes for slow growth).  

However, you may want to consider taking preventative action in these types of emergencies.

you are married to her, all the money - W2, 1099, or the net amount you receive from the passive income all gets claimed on your combined taxes, you will be paying additional un-necessary taxes on the money you make from the property.