Their reasoning was that lawyers foam at the mouth if a tenant gets hurt and YOU own it.

From your experiences, what makes or breaks your relationship with a lawyer?

Consult a lawyer on that point, but most leases state that it's binding on the successor landlord. 

Reason being, I have already performed several searches online and many of the listings I've read are either hidden adds for lawyers or just personal opinions.

Can anyone recommend a good real estate transactions lawyer for a deal I am doing in Winchester, VA? 

Consult a lawyer and CPA for further details on how to do this.

Just looking at say Massachusetts where Im originally from where they use a 2 page "contract" which is really just a letter of intent...then they have a lawyer draw up the real purchase and sale agreement, to here in the DC area where our contracts are 50-100 pages long and it is the agents who handle everything with the contracts and no lawyers involved except the title attorney, who really acts as an insurance salesman and not an attorney.I remember reading on these forums that there was some place where the tenants provide their own appliances.....I couldnt even fathom that.

I live on an island so its hard to actually find ppl (lawyers) in person to talk to and get advice from.

Being in Texas:Option greater than 180 days are not legalContract for Deed is not legalWraps can be done but I urge you to use the services of a Lawyer who specializes in this area as creating a new loan can fall under the requirements of Dodd-Frank

Please speak to a real estate lawyer!!