My mid-term goal (3-6 months from now) is to form or join a partnership with equity partners who aren't interested or able to be involved in the day-to-day and I can provide sweat equity in the form of making sure the process happens on time/budget/standard.

Good morning,I'm about to get my first property under contract using  a North Carolina Standard 2-T form.  

Use the standard TREC contract and forms not some contract you found online.   

COCR was about 11%, which is pretty low by my standards. 

Normally, standard C.A.R lease contract should stated most of the things you mentioned.2.

Even if you did, these "unrecorded liens" may have been exempted in the B Section exclusions, depending on whether or not you paid for these type of searches, in addition to the standard "recorded liens" search.

But, if you're just looking at standard hard money loans, they'll probably want you to put 10 - 30% down, sometimes that's of the Acquisition price, sometimes it's of acquisition + rehab.

It does not appear to be a good alternative for  investors with standard properties in good condition.

That was standard, they wanted to see all your financial documentation, but I haven't used them yet so I am not sure how they are with closings.  

They want same-day preapprovals, standard.