Hard money loan questions

[Jeff Fairchild]

1. Would it be beneficial to apply for hard money loans at 3 different companies at the same time and just go with whoever approves you first?

2. Should I wait to even research hard money lenders until my first deal, or if not, what sort of research should I do to line up one ahead of time. Along the same lines, what can I do to avoid being denied on my first one and losing the deal?

3. Is it ok to shop online for a lender or should I stay with a local one?