We are exclusively engaged in SFR markets with most of our volume funneling through from our parent builder.

You need Builders Risk insurance.

Or you can just keep calling around insurance companies and ask for someone who knows how to insure for builders.

Anyone know builders that do Slab in the area? 

Adding to what @Sam Shueh said, there are also insurances, Builder's Risk and Flood.

Nashville TN 50x150 lotTwo homes - stacked front to back - popular here75,000 land costTwo 1600 SF homes - 3 bed 2.5 bath @ 105/SF build cost - 336k build cost320,000 sell price per house6% realtor fees14k interest - 4k survey - 1k legal fee - 36k builder fee0% down construction loan if at or below 80% LTVTotal cost of loan = 447k, Appraisal (estimate) = 640k, So total cost is right at 70% of appraised valueOut of pocket spent on soft costs = 20k~141,000 profit10 month timeline

It sounds like you are very bullish on the future value of the land, in which case I would just wait it out to see if the equity split improves or tell the lead builder you are considering other offers with better terms.

I know of some commercial properties where the Geotechnical Engineer was fired because the builder thought the foundation design was "too conservative" (too expensive).

I am fairly new to the real estate development/home builder market.

Michael:  I paid $500 bucks for some remodeling plans (yucca valley architect who is quas-retired) and he connected me to engineer/ and Title 24 guy  (new construction also requires soil test engineering and sometimes water flow testing for the water district)but I think 1000-1500 is probably  low end and 3500-5000 is high endI'm working on a hew house in pioneertown and I'm interviewing builders/general contractors (who have plans in their archives that were approved) -many plans approved in 2015 aren't valid.. because of the Title 24 increases every year and the 2016 codeNathan: exciting. yucca NEEDS some new apartments!