So my real question is after vetting maybe 75 properties, looking at 25-30, contracting ONE property in 2 months...am I being too conservative, over thinking, or is this the life of a flipper?  

For the most part I have done a good job, but sometimes we have to vent.

It's simply an accounting methodology and there are actually no funds transferred between any parties.

Account Closed I think you convinced me to go the conservative route on this one! 

I currently have one in mind and working with a realtor to sink the deal but the investor part is, of course, the hard part of all this!

This means:You must use a property manager; you cannot manage the property yourself.You may not personally do work on the property; a third party has to do it and the invoices paid by the custodian or the property manager.You may not mix personal and IRA funds or the entire transaction may become an "early withdrawal" from your IRA and taxed as such.You must report the market value to the custodian each year.Rental income flows into your IRA, which you can utilize according to applicable IRA rules.

As and investor selling to other investors this doesn't matter just use the contract to make the costs work for all parties.

As I have never been party to a HML before, I don't have any real knowledge to offer here ... but requiring payment of the fee BEFORE they even have a loan lined up for you is a big red flag to me. 

They call the lender, and lender says, Need 3rd party authorization.

But, I've never read an agency agreement where this is discussed.Can you be more specific how an insurance company could go after a party to an agency relationship for an injury suffered by an agent?