If these folks have lived there for a while maybe they are just a little control freakish about protecting their complex - especially if the last person was deviant and there are a bunch of renters - they probably have been through a lot and have to stay on top of things.  

I write the liability portion two ways an OCP (owners and contractors protective) which covers claims relating to construction.

I am wanting to make sure I provide myself enough protection.

Because of using your real name and other info. to form an LLC and it being recorded in the system so the government will know you're doing some type of business and tax you accordingly, I feel that having a land trus...

Our intent is to protect our nearby property by controlling what goes up on that property - and would be happy to sell our share to them or let them work off their payments via the rentals over time. 

Lots of info you could have read to guide you and protect you in advance. 

We run all of our sales through her as the listing agent because it helps sell the property AND to have an added layer of protection with E&O insurance.

No family or friends so what kind of company can I set up that provides asset protection that I can do by myself?

You have no idea...It really isn't hard, though, to draw a distinction between commercial signs that might be up for months, and political signs that are not only up for less time, but are exactly the sort of thing the First Amendment is meant to protect.

At some point down the road after you and your brother-in-law are RE moguls, you'll want to make sure your assets are under some sort of corporate veil to protect your personal assets from a law suit.Depending on the state, if you do not purchase the property will an LLC, you could be charged transfer and recordation taxes again when you transfer the real property to your LLC or S-Copr, C-Corp, whatever.