However, seeing as though I have already sourced the deal myself, would it still be in my best interest to use a realtor for this transaction if it works out? 

Thankfully I have no property in NY.I loved this quote which shows just how clueless people are about housing issues:“Housing instability is at the root of so many problems facing our city, such as exacerbating homelessness and hunger, failing to meet our children’s educational needs, and undermining public safety,” said the CWTU in a statement.

However, we often facechallenges in sourcing suitable properties through traditional MLS listings.

A PMC is great to use not only for all these items but also really being a trusted source for vendors too etc. 

There are some public sources (www.city-data.com) that can provide good baseline information.

Do you have any recommendations on a lending source for a property such as this?

I'm particularly interested in what tactics people have implemented for sourcing quality deals (not the I need 100% financing bs)Would you:1.

They buy and source their own deals.  

Understanding how to source potential deals can be a game-changer.

In the past, I've found both to be good sources of information for market insight and referrals.