As other said above yes, you should talk to all kinds of lenders to find out what terms are.

If you have funds / means where are all kinds of opportunities to become silent partner / investor. 

Unless you yourself can do design drawings, you will basically be acting as a plan runner just visiting the city, and being the "middle person" could slow down the process.

You will find all kinds of really great information on the forums.

There's a thread on here about what kind of car everyone drives.

I've heard of these kind of tenant improvement requests happening all the time.

If you do go, it's because you have a sick relative somewhere who needs to see you before they go on to glory -- the best kind of story for that is an expensive one, like a blind half-brother with a rare blood disease who is only free of constant pain in this one remote high-altitude institute in the Cascades...something so outlandish no one would make it up that at the same time implicitly explains why you need the rent checks to be on time.

What kind of place are you looking to buy?

I'm just about 90 minutes south of you and visit family in Knoxville often.

It would have to be some kind of sellers to take that kind of offer from you.