When I planned the design I incorporated a good deal of rod iron (we did a mix metal theme in the house) in the custom stair case that we put in (after photos below).

You put $50,000 down and mortgage $450,000 for a monthly payment of $3,000.

Assuming I own the land free and clear (value, say 800k) however, do you think that I could get the construction loan myself (I have about a 750 credit score) and just hire a builder to put it up, using the land as collateral for the loan?

We put a lot of effort into finishing the basement.

I have a fair amount of savings so I was wondering whether there’s any benefit to putting 20-25% down instead of 3.5%?

I know of a couple that I could put you in touch with. 

This helps me figure out how much money I might need to put into the property to make it better.

I joined the BP community to network with people who I can learn from and also to learn how to analyze deals to give me the confidence to put an offer on something that makes sense for me.

But I can’t come right out and say it without putting BP at risk.

A brokerage's focus, is on the revolving door, putting butt's in seat's and milking the averages because we know 80% will immediately wash-out, of the remained 80% will do little for next few years before also washing out and make us some $, and what's left is our pay-checks.