I’ll repeat it: “Normal = Good”.

@Leonard KnightTransactional lenders typically give you proof of funds to get their foot in the door with the A seller.  

I was doing normal inspections as well as Section 8 doing their inpections.

Like I said, there is no real normal for the most part.

[This is the weak point where your friend could take your money.]Do NOT receive the refinance loan proceeds from the title company (except proceeds in excess of your friendly loan, if any and normally not).Refinance loan proceeds must be sent to your friendly lender otherwise two things occur: 1) the refinance lender and/or the title company gets suspicious this is not really a refinance, which may kill the refinance loan and; 2) you don't get the discount on the title insurance due to buying title insurance again within a short period due to refinancing (in Texas) because you’ve tipped them off that you’re not really refinancing.

At $1.4 million that is a very different market than your normal "bread and butter" house and it would be wise to seek the advise of people who have experience in that niche. 

Use a higher than normal Vacancy rate in the calculator. 

Does anybody have any advice on a good way to get familiar with an area or is this just a normal part of the process that I need to push through?

Its a great way to get your foot in the door, so good strategy.  

We see that Chinese are much more comfortable now in looking at more options - this is a normal process of a maturing investment community.