Not only that, most of the "GPs" had been working in Tech their whole careers and had only been into real estate the past couple of years.Don't get me wrong, we have a lot of very smart passive tech-industry LPs, but you want a vertically integrated machine of humans with deep real estate experience.

This part is important, and you must ask this pointed question (in writing, preferably) to someone at the financial institution with sufficient understanding of the banking industry. 

The industry average is 3% for large properties, not including add-on fees.

I've personally worked with a handful of "investor-friendly" lenders, primarily on DSCR loans in recent years, and each time I've run into significant delays, lack of transparency about the process, have been fed the requirements in a piecemeal fashion (every few days there's a new random request rather than having it all organized from the start), and have even run into lenders who were substantially misinformed about the real estate industry or the laws that govern it on both a local and federal level.I think there should be a better site to encourage accountability by tracking how long it actually takes each lender to close their loans on average, and what unexpected hurdles investors encounter when trying to work with them.I can't seem to find such a site.

What are your favorite resources or tips for continuous learning and expanding your network in the real estate industry?

I look for 1. responsiveness 2. knowledge in industry 3. ratesNumber 2 "knowledge in industry" directly affects your cost. 

This is done by hiring an industrial hygienist or an air quality professional to come to the property and test the air and surfaces for mold spores.

There is also VinFast, WolfSpeed, the Toyota Battery Plant, ... large pharmaceutical companies, manufacturers, energy producers, and a diverse cross section of other industries who are moving to or expanding within an hour of Raleigh.

While I am not a full time flipper *YET*, I have strong knowledge and experience in the architecture, design, and construction industry.

Network and Relationships: Investor-friendly agents often have extensive networks within the real estate industry, including connections with banks, attorneys, foreclosure specialists, and other professionals who might have leads on distressed properties or motivated sellers.