Did you have any sort of written agreement with them?

When I'm trying to determine if one area can be used as a comp for another subdivision, I take a larger sample (read go back further in time) and see how the prices compare for each area.

The SFHs there are expensive, usually 2500+.Where I do most of my property searching (blue collar area to the south of Dallas), $1300 is just above the threshold into the nicer/larger properties.

This can be awesome, but usually if someone is offering to do this it means they know its going to be in their best interest to do so, which means they probably are going to want a larger down payment or want you to pay much more.

It sort of attaches to the policy and a loan investor can get it if they wish to feel "safe".

Coach houses are smallish single family homes on the same lot as a larger home, and often take the place of a garage.

Is there some sort of vetting process a regular joe can put these people/companies through to weed out the scammers?

if the land has really doubled in value, the lender would do better to take back the property sell himself...maybe that sounds like a hassle, but i know of a hardmoney lender who preys on borrowers and does better when they default...sell the whole property and it sounds like you made money...now, he may do some sort of a release, if you ask him and an attorney..just depends on how active he is in realestate, aware he is about the values and the opportunities, and how nice he is :)

I know they get some sort of commission but I figure they could also be a better deal?

Would you take the $195k as hard money (13%-15%) interest, arrange some sort of profit share on the back end when the house is sold or any other creative ways?