I learned with my first flip that 3 houses in the same neighborhood failed septic tests and needed a lot of money and work.

I figure while people argue over which approach is better, i will try both just in case one fails, I will still be halfway there.

They want to ensure the tenant has a safe house and haven't been out to fail me in the past. 

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.