The way you explained the deal, it sounds more like a joint venture than a hard money loan.

Kiernan contacted me through a mutual friend on social media. after serval attempts of trying to have me joint venture into his projects.

I am in a 2 member LLC (husband and I) for which we file a partnership return the K-1 information is then reported on our joint tax return. 

They are both the types of guys that genuinely want you to succeed, as they both understand that their success is contingent upon your success.

Doing it with one lease where they are jointly and severally liable is the best.

(And feel free to say Google - but it’s such a firehose and misses out on genuine 1:1 interaction) Also, I’ve considered partnering with someone like minded/motivated and/or working with a Realtor but I think it’s too soon.

These are all common problems around here.Anything that's in the mid-1800s or earlier will be a genuine antique. 

You may even set it up as a joint venture, etc.

Under the Sec 121 exemption, if you have owned it and lived in a property for at least 24 out of the past 60 months (and they don't have to be the same 24-month periods, and the months don't have to be consecutive) then you can take up to $250k of capital gain (ie value above your tax-basis) tax-free, or $500k if you're married and file jointly.

Make sure the lease makes them jointly liable.