You’ll get your full security deposit back as long as everything is left as it was when you moved in”You’re doing HER a favor and not making her stay in that dump of a house (I’m obviously joking - but making a point that she gets off easy).

Being a cash buyer doesn't mean you have to personally have all the money in your bank account, it just means if you are borrowing the money in some fashion, that has to have already been accomplished and the funds are currently available.

This is good for the seller as the seller can actually take the property back in a much easier fashion.

Maybe if you have some sort of favorable promote structure with an equity partner. 

If you use the listing agent, their duties will still somewhat favor the seller whom they have a longer relationship with essentially, so why not find your own representation?

It’s a huge tourist market, it’s near the beach, it’s drivable to a large portion of the US and the laws are favorable.

Our concern is two-fold (1) it may be difficult to get a loan given that both of us would be considered contractors and I know banks wouldn't look favorably on that, and (2) just the overall fact that both of our incomes would be commission-based.  

If you go that route, do yourself a favor and do not shop it around yourself.

While the numbers may not be favorable for some, the important part is that you guys took action and the deal is working for you.

I do my own calculations using 3 similar properties sold in the last 3 months within half a mile of the subject property and I can pretty much come up with a "favorable" number if I'm buying, depending on which 3 properties I select and a "favorable" number using a different 3 properties if I'm selling.