If not for you and you prefer the traditional route, I would explore potential "up and coming" markets such as Acworth, Cartersville, and Douglasville, where the price-to-rent ratio is a little more favorable, and growth is apparent.

Financing options do exist: hard money loans, renovation loans, and some traditional mortgages can be used on distressed properties if criteria are met.

Can't believe I've been reading Rich Dad books for years before ever hearing about Bigger Pockets via David Greene books (BRRRR and Long-Distance RE Investing).

For us in the seller financed note investing world, we are often looking to find value in a deal that fell outside of a traditional banker's lending box. 

They will likely want you to do all the traditional lead gen steps: cold call, open houses, door knock, etc.

Since traditional agent training doesn’t cover investing, supplement your learning with books, podcasts, and investor meetups.Good luck!

Are there other options that could be better for a construction to perm loan (not through a traditional bank)???

I have spoken to lenders about traditional financing and also DSCR loans.

Quote from @Matt Wan: Can I purchase a property using a traditional mortgage without being physically present for any part of the process?

What would be my best approach, I assume find a private lender and work out some deal with them.All questions and answers will help thank you. private lender would be one option - also can you get traditional financing from a bank?