It's a more involved discussion that requires one on one communication and no, joining a "community" does not prepare you.

If you have equity and decent credit, a conventional Fannie Mae HomeStyle (or the Freddie Mac version) would likely be the better option instead of an FHA 203k loan (which will require a 3rd party HUD consultant to oversee the deal in addition to having the contractor involved). 

In this study, new construction is defined as a habitable structure requiring load-bearing features and MEP utilities (mechanical, electrical & plumbing)Below shows which cities have had the most activity:Question: Do you see activity increasing for the rest of Q1?

I'm being required to pay another application fee and then $600 application fee to hopefully get this approved by the Board to allow me to continue running the STR that they approved 6+ months ago. 

Understand Their Process – Clarify loan requirements, turnaround time, and potential challenges before moving forward.

Commercial deals are going to look at your qualifications as an investor as well as the DSCR value of the property supporting itself (at least here in the USA).For construction, you will need to look into licensing requirements such as a GC license.

I actually like them because the homeowners' association (HOA) usually covers most of the insurance, and there is very little maintenance required.

One of the biggest challenges for everyone involved is being on the same page about the actual time required for maintenance.DIY landlords rarely properly track their time when it comes to property management in general - tracking their true time invested in maintenance is where they perform the worst.Investors that hire PMCs are rarely any better at understanding the true amount of time maintenance takes.

I know there is not a ton of resources that don't require large financial commitments, just wanted to see if anybody knew of cheaper alternatives. 

You prpobably don't care about Ohio, but their requirements might be instructive.You can only file January 1 through March 31.