I just spoke to a broker in regards to a property and he stated that it needed to be an "All cash deal".Aren't all deals basically all cash to the broker and seller, unless I am asking for seller financing.What does it matter to them were it comes from?

Doesn't matter if you have to add money to you monthly payment. 

How much they are able and willing to pay is huge, and in some areas, it is literally a matter of a few blocks' difference.

If your traditional retirement vehicles amount to about 10% of what you want your total mortgage balances to be, you're fine no matter what. $1,000,000 in mortgage debt * 6% = $60,000 = $100k in 401k/IRA * 60%.For everyone else, it matters how many financed properties you have. $400k in debt across five properties will have higher reserve requirements than $700k in debt across four properties. 

@Shaun Allison, it doesn't matter if you own the land.

IMHO no matter how good you are or experienced you are, you still want to leave a route to use to get out of a deal. 

As a matter of fact, you did mention in your post that you told the investor that you are not pulling permits.

I think that in this business that no matter what area you are practicing, our professional integrity, consideration, putting in the work to make sure as much as possible, you do your part and help make the deal good, you build a good reputation.

A television show, no matter how popular, is a questionable criterion on which to base your investing decision.  

There are ways you can structure the agreement such that only one party can exit, for example by selling his share to the other partner (or someone else for that matter), refi on the name of the other party and cash out his share of the equity.Have a look at the BP fileplace you'll find there partnership agreements.