Pay for your buy through normal loans, big bank loans, small loan options, or a mix of loan types.

(Maybe there’s more than two, if you know any others please let us know).  1- do more deals (investments, loans, etc.)2- do bigger deals (investment, loans, etc.)I chose bigger exclusively.  

Land is used to secure a hard money construction loan (CL). 

My question is this: Should I just buy both properties, build the road, and then sell the second lot (now improved with an access road) for a profit?

have you looked into a DSCR loan.

Spend the money on flight and hotel when you acquire the property to thoroughly inspect the property and put together a detailed improvement plan.

Non/QM offers options but it does take a special loan program. 

I can't help you on the agent part of things, but I do think making a list of all the steps you need to do to buy a property (find and agent, get prequalified for a loan, make x number of offers) and then put that list above anything else (regarding real estate) and try to start crossing one item off after another could help. 

They have too many rules that they put OVER the normal underwriting with most loan types.  

I would hate to refinance my duplex and lose the 4 percent interest on conventional loan.