Would you suggest at looking at different loan options and what i would be accepted for or start looking for potential properties?

That's really difficult when you're just starting out.What's not so difficult is having acceptable credit, and in this economy, that makes another solution viable.Get a credit card with a high balance and no membership fee and do not use it.

Got notice today the sellers will be accepting the offer 

You've got to accept the reality that people are going to do this.

When one of the offers was accepted I went to work on solving the problems  related to that specific deal, not the overwhelming task of getting myself to do something.

If you aren't actually practicing regularly, but only using your license for your own occasional investment purchase, you might end up where the only type of broker that will accept you will be a desk fee type, which is another cost you should account for.I'm not trying to talk you out of it.

We’re willing to pay hourly for the work or accept bids but need it done ASAP!

Multiple offers were coming but agent botched the process and I was forced to accept a lower offer.

On average, how quickly does it take folks to find a deal and get an offer accepted?

Push credit and debit card payments hard, to make life easier for you (auto-payments), and make cash payments very difficult to do and/or not accepted (eg no office onsite, etc).