Well, here is some out of the box thinking from someone not involved in commercial real estate nor the hospitality industry, but very involved as a patron of restaurants...First question... is your location good for restaurant traffic and does it have adequate parking?

He has connected with significant investors, politicians, angel investors, venture capital leaders, and people who have and are excelling in their fields.  

Should this be a red flag about me entering this industry?

In the event that a lender seems to be un-informed or incorrect as related to VA lending guidelines, one might be able to reference said handbook or maybe even email a copy/link straight to the loan officer to clarify… since they are more familiar with the specifics of the lending industry verbiage.b.

Makes me believe that is either not an institutional loan or the property is risky like land or industrial.  

I also went to school for my real estate license but that was only so that I could learn even more about the industry and gain connections...

I work in the healthcare industry as well!

I plan on attending my first REIA meeting on the 17th of this month and really look forward to meeting people who are in the industry and making some new friends, at the meeting and on the forums.  

I have also made money and built multiple businesses within the real estate investing industry.  

Various study's have been done showing that it is probably the largest industry in this region.