Proper are on the case, but are there recommendations for alternates?

Alternatively, if you prefer a local attorney, you can network through the top commercial brokers in your area and they should know who the other syndicators in your area use. 

Alternatively you can get on the buyers lists of local wholesalers who are already doing this and see if any of their deals match your criteria.

I'm wondering if people offer other alternatives to the typical 12 month lease?

If you made the change in fuel then you might not have a clean argument in a courtroom to stand on the lease wording. 

Just started looking into the same thing- is this a possible alternative: take out a conventional mortgage (personally) to buy it from your LLC- potentially with a slightly better rate that the cash-out refi?

A great alternative is a buyout from the seller on a sandwich: you create a direct new lease and new option between the seller and TBer, and get a note for a sandwich profit amount, only one closing cost amount, and you get paid on line 503 of the HUD1.)5.

Think about what markets this investor has lived through since buying this investment in 1985.I also like his comment about what others were doing with their money when he bought the property.https://richmondbizsense.com/2020/04/14/bet-on-fueling-station-in-1985-finally-pays-off/

They have been instructed to review their existing mortgage files to assess portfolio risk and tag loans that have a high chance of default.You should have heard by committee by now that they approved your loan, denied it completely, or the directors came back with alternative structures they might approve.

@Dan Heuschele  its just very hard for investors in other parts of the country to wrap their heads around what we do on the west coast.. and while I understand the thought process around appreciation its still a fact that one deals with.And if your going to live and work there and you can save it looks like 500 a month on rent, rent as we know  is just waiting money and have someone ( rental income) pay down your mortgage for you to the tune of 100k plus over a period of time.. then hey its better than renting.And whats the alternative..