We worked with 3rd party companies like safeguard and Trueassets that lasted for like I said, 10 months until we realized that they didn't really want to pay us and would try at nothing to get out of it.Example being we would show up at a property that was overgrown with weeds and was badly in need of work.

The main safeguard no matter what strategy you pursue is to avoid overpaying for property and to look for deals that are below market.Looking for 2% in coastal San Diego isn't going to be successful, but I agree with one of the other posters that 1% can be found if you put in the work.  

If they are just agents in the same office, your agent should be smart enough to safeguard your information.

Specifically, in Castro Valley.My parents live with me as well as my sister and I have been realizing that working a full time job will not get me enough money for retirement as I take care of my parents and try to safeguard the future of my kids.

For menial tasks I would use Odesk or Elance etc.I do not let them have access to what I consider needs to be safeguarded as business secrets.I would only let a person on the ground here have access to that.

When we build term leases we have built in safeguards for the properties cashflow.

Safeguard; make sure your worst case is that you finish at a price that you could sell it to another investor and make a little.

What is your strategy to safeguard your interests during the transaction? 

There are companies like SafeGuard that get the the nationwide contracts and sub them out locally.

I see a ton of articles here and across the net on how individuals can go about finding private capital, but can't seem to find any on what steps individuals such as myself who would like to invest in others should do to safeguard and make the most solid investment for themselves.I would be starting off rather small (5k-10k or hopefully more assuming my company keeps the overtime going for a while).