I do a preliminary review of the application and if they meet my written Tenant Selection Criteria then I log on to mysmartmove.com and have them sent the instructions to pay and complete the process through them.  

I'd never buy a development unless I was confident in the valuation and there was data to back the feasibility of the build. having preliminary approval is very different than permit ready where you can put a shovel in the ground day one.

The final on the mineral rights offer was some buyers shotgun out preliminary offers to see whether they have a taker, then do the diligence to see whether they are actually buying something of any value before closing the deal.

Having some preliminary figures in mind can help facilitate the conversation

@Marco Santarelli @Greg RulfsWe bank with TD (both my companies) and have had success getting business loans for U.S. projects.We have gone through the preliminary steps of securing financing for property purchases in the U.S.A, but in the end concluded it would be cheaper to use our Canadian operating line of credit (3.5%) then a mortgage or LoC from TDs US subsidiary (5.x%).

You may find it useful to seek an unofficial preliminary meeting with the local powers-that-be to get a read on how much resistance there's likely to be with your development, as well as getting an early read on things they'll "suggest" to make necessary approvals more likely.

I dont know the area, or the county for that matter, whatsoever.I did some preliminary due diligence on Clinton, including 5-year population trends, demographics, rental rates published, and some other region-specific data. 

I'd wager the Zillow ones are not up to date.

Currently, I am working on getting the preliminary projections ready for investors.

In the case of this property, I would contact a title company, such as Stewart Title (they are a national title company and should have offices in your area) and ask for a "preliminary loan title search".