One I did have direct contact and several phone calls with the owner of the program but he was intent on steering me to create a syndication which was not the stated goals of the program or what I had stated was my intention when I was pre-screened for the program.

If the software is not simplifying your life or making you more accurate, you shouldn't use it.Software does have extremely helpful features like online payments, marketing syndication (click a button and your property is advertised on multiple sites), electronic document review/signing, maintenance tracking, and owner reports.

Maybe syndications but some of them aren't doing well and if they don't know how to vet the operator, seems very risky. 

Thus, I instantly concluded this lending opportunity being a NO GO.

the land bank they are talking about is city owned property they took back for non payment of tax's or liens etc.. its NOT Bank/lending institution you buy the land from the city land bank they may have special programs for locals that are looking for owner occ situations.. either way if you pay cash which is how most of that is sold if not all of it.. then your credit does not matter.

What strategies do you use to build strong relationships with private money lenders, and how have these connections influenced your investment success?

I consider myself well-versed in real estate knowledge and business jargon, but syndications really have their own set of lingo - starting with the word "syndication" itself!

Just think of Dad as an LP investor and this is a syndication, and he is contributing property.If Dad passes away before it is sold in this structure, his Partnership interest is what is stepped up to FMV, which can allow for a step up in the basis of his share of the assets to FMV. 

Quote from @Giannina Leyton: I am about to sue Flip Systems for my money. and Mino Lending as well. 

I recently moved to Greenville, SC and am also looking for hard money and private lending options in my area of northern South Carolina.