The only true difference between the big banks is the customer service and speed of the loan, even the interest rate is usually within an eighth of a percentage or so.You need to analyze why you got denied.

Independent contractors (eg, 1099) think they are employees (W-2) and don't know the difference (by definition, you are not an employee of someone giving you a 1099... that person is your client/customer, not your employer).Preapproval: Full doc everything, LO reviews and runs the automated underwriting system.

I would assume the rest will be the same since they have to protect their customers.  

Customer support has been pretty good with getting the details figured out. 

I have customers in NYC that are in their late 80s and bought properties many many years ago for prices that back then were considered Insane (40,50k) and now they're properties are worth 1-3mil and are renting 2400+/mo each apt.

If a realtor is willing to work without exclusivity, I question why they place so low of value on their time - maybe they are new and have no customers.

What other customer segments are there that you've experienced?

Is this a custom one off home from a local builder?

And thus needing to be reactive, and limiting the ability to customize an owner's Condo interior. 

The lot has value for someone looking to build their dream home on and live in it forever, someone who isn't looking at it as an investment but rather as a place to live, but it would be hard to pull off as a spec home in my opinion for a number of reasons.New home construction has come back stronger than ever here but mostly within two categories: entry level (300-400k range for the area you're talking about, higher in Denver) and million dollar plus custom builds.