First is to find out which, if any of these will do well in your location.

Never amend planting holes.

From what I've read, I think they all will do alright in this location. But I've amended just about every planting hole I've dug. Nurseries have advised this too. What is wrong with amending soil?

Amending the soil when planting a tree or shrub is likely to cause drainage and root system development problems. Nurseries that advise doing this (except in very unusual circumstances) just plain don't know what they're talking about and should not be relied upon for further planting advice. Numerous studies indicate that it is counterproductive as a general practice, even in widely varying soil types (amending clay soil is not any better than amending sandy soil, and vise versa). See the link below for further planting information.

Here is a link that might be useful: Planting a Tree or Shrub

For other potential candidates, should you wish to look for any the grounds of the state capitol building are planted as an arboretum, with many different kinds of trees from all over. When I was there some years ago they all had signs saying what they were etc.

Tulip magnolia??

Are you talking about liriodendron tulipifera?

If so, I would be very surprised if this would do well in the conditions that sacramento is known for. Heat and drought.
Even if it did, tuliptree can quickly outgrow most yards.

Hybrid magnolia originating in New Zealand and being supplied to US (and Canadian?) garden centers by Monrovia nursery. Flowers are dark and short-tepaled, look even more like some kinds of tulips than older saucer magnolias long referred to as tulip trees by the general public in this region.

I never see or hear Liriodendron called a magnolia.

Well no one is selling Angels' Brush Cherry around here, and Lavender Twist is small and doesn't seem to be fussy about soil conditions which is good. My soil is awful but I grow another magnolia, Randy, as a lawn tree. It blooms beautifully but it gets some awful fungal thing shortly after leaves appear. It's not too much sun which can cause leaves to look bad because it begins late spring. Maybe the soil conditions contribute to poor immunity?? Maybe because I amended th soil when I planted it? Anyway other trees I considered (chaste tree, cherries, - there's something wrong and won't work in this environment. Crepe myrtles do great but I already have 3.