Credit Checks: Hard Money vs Conventional

[Alex Pino]

I recently applied for conventional financing to secure a property (VA). Unfortunately I am having some DTI issues and I work 1099, so I am cash heavy but no one wants to lend because I have less than 2 years of 1099 work. I believe I qualify for only up to about $180,000 as some lenders ball parked that for me. I am at the point I either continue to rent or I buy a property to either live in or fix-flip/BRRR. My questions is if I run my credit through a hard money lender, will it continue to hammer down my credit score? Or can I take the advantage of lumping it all into the 14 day mortgage shopping window?