The property will be / is under the active investor's name while I will be safeguarded by a second deed of trust.So I would not be able to have ownership of this property.

It comes from a JD/CPA (Mark Kohler) and is based on how "rich" legislators safeguard their own assets and legacies as demonstrated by case law. 

What safeguards should be put in place to make sure your payments are accepted?

Perhaps they could implement a screening process and grace period when the tenant and owner is not match and prorate the costs of backing out and build in plenty of other safeguards.

So those are my safeguards. (3) I was just told by other investors that Richmond has been identified as a "safe place" to park money into real estate.

Safeguard Capital Partners has what appear to be fairly safe performing notes with a return of 9% so that is the direction I am leaning towards going in regarding buying notes. 

Any other safeguards I need or things to look out for with a winterized house??

I compare it to the stock market if you don't have a sound strategy that you can implement eventually you will go broke with that method in economic downturns if you do not have safeguards in place.  

If you are like myself (and a lot of millenials) though, you dont want to actually safeguard some commodity that can be stolen from you.

You are safeguarded as long as you have the house under an option and the deal is papered up correctly (contract).