If anyone needs a GC once the designs are done I can build/renovate the project.

If you start a JV in name but do not give your partners proper control and decision-making rights and the deal goes bad you open yourself up to serious consequences which can lead to SEC violations with extremely high fines.Lastly, you can offer the project up to investors who have no voting or control.  

You may even find one or two who won't mind if you shadow a project they currently have going. 

I was wondering if you found a lender, and if so, how your project is going.

Licensing can be such a maze to navigate, but getting it right is key to protecting your projects and investments.

You can read a book and multiple books, but unless you are out there doing it (I.e. getting bids and getting contractors to truly get you an exact estimate) you will be far off from the numbers you want and may even lose money on the flip/rehab.The best advice I would suggest in my experience is that you should get into the line of work by either partnering with someone or working with someone on some projects prior to going into a flip on your own.

It allows you to skip the stress and time-consuming process of managing rehab projects and focus on the cash flow aspect. 

Off market deals usually have nonrefundable deposits and a clunkier process that isn't as suited for out of state people until they have good contacts in the area to evaluate the property (mostly contractors that feel comfortable evaluating projects for you).

More than likely the PM wasn't aware of the costs as most PM's don't understand project management.

I tell people the harder it is to zone your project, the less chance a competitor will come nearby.