This is not technically correct, but the most practical approach is ATM.

I feel comfortable with the Twentynine palms area and Joshua Tree area as they seem to have good established regulations in place and being close to my home town of Las Vegas I am used to desert styles of properties and have contacts at lease kind of close.  

I'm able to find specific information on escrow requirements for higher-priced loans, but can't find anything about specific requirements for high-cost loans specifically, not even under Regulation Z 1026.32.

It's even harder when we don't have battle buddies to stay accountable, find best practices, and squad up on deals that go beyond our focus.

It would be difficult, rare, and frankly not a practice I would help with, for you to place your downleg under contract and your upleg under contract before your downleg is past due diligence period and the buyer's money is hard.

They had no idea how to classify our operation since there is no short term rental regulations in their housing code.

Cash for keys is for people in heavily regulated states.

What is your practice during winter with regard to protecting your water pipe?

1) You need to know and follow local rules and regulations for eviction. 

It's full of practical advice and - more importantly - links you to your state laws.