Your understanding seems right in all 3 examples you gave and it's up to you to decide what's best for your family's configuration and situation. Major issues are as you described: stepped up basis....probate....beneficiaries agreement on how to deal with the property.
An individual can be trustee and beneficiary of a trust at the same time so that's not a problem and if the title is in the name of the trust you don't have to change it each time there is a new trustee but pulling the property out of the trust is an option only if the trust permits that. You should run all of the issues by your attorney and if that person is not knowledgeable in the tax issues get a referral to a tax pro.
