I know that it doesn't emotionally feel the same as a CSP (cash secured put), but a buy-write is identical to a CSP. The only difference due to margin is if you're using margin to buy the shares in the buy-write. If you have 100% of the cash to back a put, or 100% of the cash to buy the shares, then the buy-write and the CSP are identical in how they perform.
The difference is in the emotions around the position (and tax handling in the US, where wash sale rules can pop up a lot easier with buy-writes than with CSP).
If you like the buy-shares-700 / sell 695 covering call, then you also like selling the 695 CSP, from a risk/reward perspective.
What I found was that emotionally I LOVE the buy-write. I particularly love buying the shares at a price I'm happy to buy at, and then selling an ITM call to go with them. I also really like that holding that call down to the end or even letting it expire is emotionally trivial to do. At all prices above 695 (in this example) the position earns max profit of 73-5 - $68 (buy shares 700, sell 695 call for 73, sell shares for 695 = net 68).
At all prices below 695 the position earns the whole premium (73) and leaves you with shares purchased for $700 (and the corresponding unrealized loss, that is $5 higher due to the strike starting $5 below the share purchase price).
Anyway - I personally love buy-writes, and I think its for the identical reason you like them so much. However I think its important to be clear eyed about them having the identical risk/reward profile as selling a cash secured put. If one is a bad position, so is the other.
In particular if you think that the risk/reward for a 695 CSP (again using this example) is bad, but the risk reward for the buy-write as described here is good, then I encourage you to revisit your understanding of the position. There are no margin implications that aren't equally inherent in the other version of this position. What does the position look like at the end for various stock prices. What does it look like along the way - stuff like that. It really is the same thing.
With the CC:
Shares below 695 at expiration - you have 100 shares per contract with that you bought for 700 while fully earning the $73 call credit. Effective share purchase price is 700-73 but it looks like buy 700, unrealized loss of 700-share price on those shares, and $73 earned credit.
Or shares above 695 at expiration - you realize the max gain of shares purchased at 700, sold at 695, and a realized credit of $73 for a net realized profit of $68.
With the 695 CSP, opening credit really really close to 68.65. Shares above 695 at expiration, max gain of 68.65.
Shares below 695 at expiration, you have 100 shares with a purchase price of 695-68 = 627. You HAVE been able to postpone when the credit from the put will turn into a taxable gain as the assignment on the put contract modifies the purchase price of the shares rather than turning into a realized gain or loss.
The two kinds of positions in this particular regard - that's in the context of US tax handling. I assume Canada is similar, but I am not only not a tax pro, I'm also not a Canadian OR a Canadian Tax pro. My opinion needs some upgrading to achieve worthless
As a CSP that 695 put will have been priced really, really close to $68.65 (because if it wasn't the arbitrageurs would have been doing buy-writes or some other construct in order to collect that mispriced option and bring it back to the correct relationship).
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