My wife and I own a "second home" in Reno Nevada which we purchased with 10% down and were planning to purchase another one, but our lender told us that we can't get another loan for a second home within ~100 mile radius of an area where we already own a second home/primary residence.

Talk to a lender and see what you qualify for.3.

Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

Also, I have read that lenders don’t like loaning on properties with liens.

But will a lender finance ?

I have a "notebook" (that's basically a file folder, in Evernote) for different types of info I want to have access to later: lender info, referrals for service providers, property listings that I come across and want to check out later, websites that have demographic info... all sorts of things.

In this scenario I'd recommend approaching your lender first and getting a bank appraisal on the property to figure out how much $ you technically have to maneuver with. 

Until you have established track record you probably won't find a lender willing to help you acquire (mortgage) a property in the name of an LLC.

I can give you a list of earnest money lenders.

@Scott BridgehouseUnless the lender stipulates differently in their documents (like VA financing that requires owner occupany for the duration of the mortgage), 'owner occupancy' requires that you move in within 60 days and retain it as your primary residence for 12 months.