.• I’ve started looking at affordable markets in the Midwest and South and have recently focused on Northwestern Pennsylvania after speaking with an agent there.• I’m also in contact with a property manager in PA to ensure I have the right team in place.• I’ve spoken with Sophia from BiggerPockets as a starting point and have watched a lot of YouTube videos, but I need guidance on taking the next steps. 

Banks caught on to this nonsense at some point, but it seems there are new angles.

They are inherently riskier loans so it takes a baseline level of trust, or legal protections, to ensure that the Gap lender in question is protected because being in subordinate position on title means that if it gets sold for less (via bankruptcy or any number of proceedings), you are more likely to lose your money.You also need to make sure that your primary mortgage holder on the deal is okay with there being a Gap funder.

There is a price for everything, but flippers make the mistake of thinking they can still get market value on a locational error.

If there is equity above they will most likely bid it all the way up to this amount. 

What's labeled Private Money in the market - an individual looking to build a lending shop by using personal funds - this is out there but these guys are not cheap on points or rate and they have rules and guidelines like anyone else, so really the difference between them and hard money is nothing other than appraisal perhaps. 

Financial wise there are a couple things to consider: -When considering the property taxes, ensure it is based on reassessed tax amount, not current tax rate.

@Cloey Green there are so many different ways to think about and evaluate markets.

Not to put too much stock in hindsight, but wasn't the noise there when you toured the place?

To be honest, there are countless real estate agents out there, and often you need to do your own research and schedule appointments to find the right fit.