You could also consider house hacking locally.  

@Loren Souers I take it "OMNI" is a local credit union?

Find the best local real estate investor meetups that have no pitches and you will increase your knowledge, camaraderie, and motivation ten-fold.

The key difference, though, was he spent months carefully getting to know the local architecs, reputable builders, and even a couple of niche design firms that specialize in modern builds for mid- to high-end buyers.

My experience has always been better with a local lender.With that said, I am reaching out to David Greene's The One Brokerage about a refinance.

I would get on the phone with a local lender through a local bank. 

Networking with local real estate investor groups can also help identify lenders active in your area.

Connecting with local contractors or experienced investors in your area is also very helpful for getting accurate numbers.For ARV you’ll want to look at comps; You can start on Zillow or Realtor.com but I highly suggest connecting with a local agent.

I have been on New Western's deal list as well as another bigger local company and everytime I underwrite these deals there is very very minimal left on the bone let alone contingency funds for going over budget on the flip...

And a local resident is usually very helpful.