One of the reasons syndication makes sense with large properties is the (relatively) fixed cost of legal syndication paperwork.

The draw back to these loans is that they are more paperwork heavy than the other "portfolio" types of loans....but if you have ever received a loan on your primary home, it's likely that you will go through the same type of paperwork here with conventional lending.

Sounds like they bit off more than they could comfortably chew:(Now, they may have had challenges trying to get paperwork to determine what properties were occupied, contacting tenants, etc., but that is their problem not yours. 

There's less paperwork (especially with a 203K), you don't have to pay up-front PMI, and the monthly PMI will drop once you hit 78-80% LTV.

While I understand that this property management company manages many properties, when you spend the better part of three hours filling out paperwork and leave with a stack of papers that could be used as a weapon, that is excessive. 

Depending on your income and amount of taxes paid in China, you may not owe anything and just need to file the paperwork.

Once the court is satisfied that all potential interested parties have been given a chance to make any claims they feel they have, and the paperwork is filed properly the probate court will allow a sale via a court order than can be exercised by the person or persons representing the estate.  

Pay a transactional agent to handle just the paperwork side of the deal.

I went through all my paperwork and the two subs who have contacted me are no where on anything that I signed with the lender or GC; one guy I've never even met.I have switched to a new GC who is moving things along great at this point but is there anything that you would recommend I do to help mitigate potential costs?

Yes, you can do it that way, or you can even talk to an agent to do the paperwork for a small fee.