However, I am uneasy with the ARM as it seems there"s nowhere for interest rates to go, but up at this point.

Although not all fires of course burn the whole house down and I suspect your quite capable of doing your own restoration yourself for far less than the average arm chair investor ??  

Additionally, it has to be an arms length transaction and disqualifies your SD-IRA from investing with anyone in your direct vertical relationship - up or down.

Sadly our education system does not arm the young folk and the lobbies of the corporations and stock/mutual fund investment firms have been getting the older folks for many many decades.

Interest only, 7/1 ARM, Conventional Fixed?

I'd punch him in the arm and say "What's up mofo".

Usually their emails don't touch on all of my points unless I explicitly list out line items for them. 

Commercial lenders and hard money both have products like this.I have seen rates lower than 8%, but they generally are interest only or ARMs.

There is a national real estate company that opened a mortgage arm and their agents are advertising lowest fees.

Any other ideas that helped you find your first deal that didn’t cost and arm and leg (not trying to be a cheap *** but working with what I have).