Credentials Needed to get Development Investment?

[Edgar Martinez]

Hello BP, before we begin I just wanted to say feel free to skip the background info in the following paragraph and jump to the one after.

My wife and I were recently talking about about our future goals and where we want to be in x amount of years. One of my goals for a long time now has been to be an Architect & Developer. I always assumed (I know, not much discipline from the get-go but going to work on that for 2020) that I would work for an architecture firm and eventually get licensed. When I felt comfortable enough with my knowledge and skill I could start getting into redevelopment and new development. While I would like to start by investing in smaller flips and BRRRRs deals (1-4 units) in the meantime then maybe transition into some pop-tops (since they require plans and are a little more construction heavy) before I get to that point, my question today is about basically about the credentials needed in order to get into the medium and larger development? By that I mean something along the lines of 8-24 unit apartments then eventually move up into 50+/100+ units or a few new construction SFRs eventually moving up to a new sub-division, etc.

Assume absolutely nothing goes to plan and I'm simply 

• A licensed architect and have been practicing 5-10 years
• I've never invested in real estate personally (for the purposes of this, let's just say I haven't even bought a personal residence)
• I have access to at least one high-income earning person (because I don't want this to focus on getting the funding first and blah blah blah)
• And I come across a what I believe to be a good deal to develop (2) 12 unit buildings (3 floors, 4 units per floor) (not an actual deal, just an example). I show it to the high-income earner I know, he decides to invest whatever the bank doesn't finance.

Basically, what are my chances at getting financing at a good terms? I think another way to ask this question is, will I be given the same terms as someone who's maybe been ONLY flipping houses (good track record) for the same 5-10 years that I would have been JUST practicing architecture? And if you think the flipper would get better terms because of experience or because he/she/they would have been nourishing relationships during that, or something else?

I would love to hear what builders, developers, lenders, loan officers, underwriters, hard money guys, etc. would have to say, as well as anyone else in BP that has some good insights on the matter.