Sorry upfront for being blunt...But, if someone will lend money to someone else with no experience or track record at rates near or below a bank it's 99.9999% a scam.

Can anyone out there tell me what truthful events associations are out there without an mlm scam and honest people?

Maybe search court records as they likely make a living doing this scam. 

Just trying to figure out if this is a scam...  

If you play with him long enough, you’ll find out what his “upfront fees” are....the only money he makes/scams you out of. 

I can’t say for sure but it could be that they could think you’re some sort of scam, with all the scam artists out there today.

I agree that meeting them in person, being friendly but firm and just assume that they were not given notice about the change so they might be a little apprehensive about it (i.e. making sure it isn't some kind of scam etc.

Get as much as you can from the buyer to benefit the seller, not yourself.But if you are another scammer wholesaler and trying to get the property for as low of an amount as you can from the seller and take as much profit that you can scam out of the deal, then you are the typical wholesaler and should not call yourself a broker. 

Plus we never knew if they would indeed obtain 80% ownership or if it was a scam.

Huge scam reported in Belize.