I’ve heard of several setups: LLC’s within a Wyoming-based holding LLC, LLC in a land trust, etc.

You could look into private money, but to be honest, I wouldn't trust a lender willing to lend on the middle of a sandwich lease option because they're likely either predatory or inexperienced.

I’m looking for somebody who has done similar to help connect me with a good team that I can trust.

If you are not taking title of your property via a 'Land Trust' you are very exposed, so please check it out. 

Find a contractor that you can trust and let them do it.

Don't get ahead of paying any of your subs unless you really know and trust them.

Maybe I am a skeptic, but I wouldn't trust someone else research anyway.  

This resulted in my credit score taking a massive hit and having to refinance the original way I thought I was going to and now taking a higher rate than I would have it I just went with it in the first place.The construction itself was pretty easy for me to manage as I have been working on houses for years, but finding good contractors that I could trust to do the work right and for what they say they can do it for was challenging.

If I didn't already have contractors that I have worked with for years, the ONLY way I would consider hiring new ones would be via referrals that I trust and can verify.If you regularly attend REIA club meetings, just ask members who they have had success with on a repeat basis. 

You are placing a lot of trust and a lot of money in the hands of strangers you find on the Internet and you are trusting them to value your big investment.