Florida first investment property

[Denisse Romero]

I would appreciate some advice. I've been looking for a potential remodel project I can purchase in cash (budget around 200k). The areas I've focused on are Pompano, Lake Worth, Vero Beach, Orlando/Kissimmee/Deltona, and areas in between. I had previously bought and sold a townhouse in Arlington, Virginia for a nice profit, so I have a bit of experience, but Florida is a different market, and my situation is also different now. I'm a US citizen based out of Davie, FL, but I also spend months in other countries for family and business. I don't have a traditional income (just started a digital company with international clients, and most of my equity is based on stocks), so I don't qualify for regular loans. I've been looking into hard money lenders, and it seems like a potential solution to increase my purchase/remodel budget, but it seems most of them take a long time to fund the project, so that puts me at a disadvantage (most South Florida buyers seem to be cash buyers now). As plan B, I've been thinking about purchasing a large land lot in the Orlando/Kissimmee area in cash and later on build a house or two. Because my search is broad (and flexible) and I don't like wasting my realtors' time, I'd rather focus on an area and a strategy first. What areas do you recommend? Do you recommend I stick to my cash purchase strategy or approach a hard money lender? Small remodel or buy lot and build (and later sell)?  I know these are lots of questions. I've been doing my research, but the more I research, the more questions and options I seem to have. I'd rather hear from experienced investors who can provide some insights. Thanks in advance.