This is unusual in that all posters speak very highly of them, but no one has completed a financing deal with them.

If you have a loan that's recourse it's not unusual for it to need anyone contributing 20% or more of the project to be a guarantor.  

You're GOING to goof up, sound uncertain, and make silly mistakes, and that's alright.

We're a bit unusual though- half of our portfolio are Short Term Rentals (where utilities are landlord paid) and most of the other properties are long term rent-by-the-room (where flat-fee utilities are logistically much easier than splitting actual bills).

This problem is vexing the entire state because business are getting more and more reluctant to move here because they are uncertain what their tax burden will be like 3-5 years from now.

@John Arendsen, there are quite a variety of answers to your question, which isn't unusual when this question is posed on the forums.  

It has also taught me that one source of income, especially commission based, is scary, uncertain and not enough.

This is not zero sum game.It is an unusual time, volume of properties on the market are way down, prices are up and competition is everywhere.  

Your experience doesn't seem too unusual - you will receive a large number of inquiries, your job (or the property managers job) is to sort them and provide quick and clear responses to applicants on next steps (denied and reason for denial, etc).

Here in PA, it's not unusual to have a home without one.