This guy got a really bad but really persistent attorney and got lucky with a sympathetic judge (a judge that had recently been arrested for a DUI, no less) and our demurrer failed.

my plan  is to get highly educated on REI prior to failing or beginning. 

What many people fail to realize is that there is such thing as an "overqualified tenant".

It's really never about a "pass" or "fail" but instead a room by room, and system by system snapshot of what the buyer is getting.

Under a 2010 Supreme Judicial Court ruling, all property owners (rental or owner occupied) can be held liable for failing to remove snow and ice from their property.

Identify instances/hearings where the matter fails to be resolved3.

Everybody but one failed to see the most important factor in your post - that you are doing a "contemporary" project and as such, opinions should be based on that, not what everybody "likes".Lastly, I have had multiple projects here in Southern CA with this very same issue (several when going for contemporary and one where I was changing from Tudor to traditional with some modern flares.

(don't even consider the LO route until you have a clear idea on how long it will take for them to qualify for financing - you never want to put a lease option buyer in a position where they will fail).In my experience, forms of owner finance make sense for a motivated seller to take advantage of.

Given my lack of employment and income I would fail to qualify on my own. 

If that fails I hop on angie's list, craigslist, or any sort of list and just start calling till someone shows up.I don't like big companies for anything because I hate being on hold, not being able to talk to someone that can do anything, and if I end up using them more often not having the decent amount of work I can provide give me any sway.And the reason I have 20-25 plumbers in my phone is I try them out when it doesn't matter.