Hello Scott, developers require a minimum down payment of 30% and the balance in  to 9 months in a pre construction condo.

They're already there and given the holiday season, probably the traffic is light, so you can chat then up for 10-15m about the area, rental class, as well as any remarkable developments in the area that would positively impact that home/area. 

Now you have x% of your original property equity, less cash-out fees and however much you need to pay to service the original loan while you're doing business development. 

We are a boutique firm in Chattanooga and every agent in our firm is personally involved in either real estate development, owns investment properties or flips homes. 

Best bet is likely (not absolute - everyone's situation is different) is to look at a national lender or broker that has options in lots of states - its a great development versus 20 odd years ago, with technology, internet, places like this - can have access to many more options than before (local broker or lender thats it)

Given your focus on equity and scaling for future development, targeting properties where you can force appreciation through value add renovations seems like a natural fit.

The Economic Development there is focused on building competitive regional talent, diversifying the regional economy, transforming Montgomery's image and building diverse community capacity.Major economic drivers to the area include Hyundai manufacturing, Maxwell & Gunter Air Force Base, major Amazon distribution, Alabama State Capitol, Alfa Insurance, Kinpak, H2 Pharma, Dollar General transport/logistics, Dow Chemical, and Conner Industries to name a few. 

I invest out of state in Pittsburgh from DC and self-manage everything, but it's taken me years to establish the right contacts, develop seamless processes etc. that allow me to handle everything remotely with confidence.

The city's macroeconomics is looking great - lots of population and job growth due to the booming tech scene and many companies choosing to move and develop here.

Simultaneously, develop a detailed scope of work and collect bids from multiple contractors to compare costs and timelines.