After all is set, walk through is done, Inspection went good, deposit is made.

The only thing you will pay up front is the EMD (earnest money deposit), which is not paid to the buyer.  

There are too many things both your buyers and your lender have zero control over that could put the earnest money deposit at risk.

I just had an over asking price offer I put in for a client countered last week and noticed that it said right in the email not to consider it binding until we received a signed contract from Fannie.You'll also get countered if you don't have enough of an escrow deposit, and will usually get flat out rejected if you don't follow all the steps, cross the Ts and dot the Is.

At the same time these amazing officers and sergeants that can lead a group succesfull into battle are the ones that let people move into houses without giving security deposits etc.

You will be tying up your cash, better to do option 5 and invest that 20,000 into a deposit for another place, as long as you cash flow on the 3rd property, why not take the money and keep going.

And every chance you get, watch the edinboro home wrestling matches.

Require an increase in the secuirty deposit of some sort?  

You shouldn't have too much trouble finding an SDIRA provider that doesn't charge for incoming funds no matter what the method of deposit is. 

why don't you just request an extended escrow and maybe release a portion of your earnest money deposit?