Beginning Steps in a Fix-and-Flip

[Jared McCorkle]

Hello, 

Currently I am in the beginning stages of doing my first fix-and-flip with a Hard Money Loan and I am running into an issue with the Hard Money Lender and Realtors in the area. I have a couple of prospect properties I would like to tour and get a better SOW for the Rehab, however because of the still someone hot market we are in realtors are not taking me serious as a potential client and tour the property without a preapproval letter, however the Hard Money Lender will not issue me a Preapproval letter until I get a better estimate of the SOW and come up with a plan on how I am going to do the project which I can't do without looking at the property first with a Realtor. 

Is this typical when it comes to fix-and-flips and how should I approach and solve this situation that I am in?