I am a broker in Michigan and Ohio.

You could also talk to a mortgage broker as they will shop around a bit.

Hello all,I spoke with a mortgage broker today in regard to purchasing a home in FL for my retirement in approximately 9 months.

You could also work with a broker and give them specifications on what you want and have them look for you, they will also be able to assist you on your real estate journey. 

most of the HML are trying to bring those in probably broker them out to  other lenders I would suspect 

Buy and Hold Peeps or Brokers /Agents also.1.

Keep in mind there are brokers/placement firms  out there who can serve as a conduit to the family offices, pension funds and insurance companies and the cost of those placement services are going to be significantly less than the amount of effort and expense that goes into the this new breed of syndicator.

It's really about finding those good contractors who can give you accurate quotes and timelines, as well as having an expert agent / broker who specializes in investment real estate and can help you identify these properties as soon as they hit the market.

But if you have issues qualifying, the property is an investment, or you can't seem to get a hold of a bank rep, you may want to contact a broker with a variety of options. 

So without further adieu, here are the TOP areas to focus on after digesting all of the $'s and cents when committing to a mortgage lender or broker with what is likely one of (if not the) most significant investments individuals can make.