He'll have to save an additional $44k in a year to do a traditional mortgage?

A lot of traditional lenders don't really understand HM and how it works.

I want to get into fix and flips, rental properties as well as a traditional agent.

I imagine this is a process I have to refine, because these are literally people 25-32 years old with no personal track records, coming from outside the USA in droves, and they don't require traditional documents in order to perform duties.I am going to assume their passports/visas are legit.

Success is a process, failure is a choice

If you have a great deal ,the costs of Hard Money verses losing the deal due to time factors would be the choice.

Success is a process, failure is a choice

Success is a process, failure is a choice

I have been investing in traditional and Roth IRAs (and 401k when available with a company match) since I was around 18 years old but have started looking into real estate investing.

Here in WA you need to be with an agency even if you don't practice as a traditional real estate agent.