In short I want to connect and start a professional relationship with some like minded people and not just the first person I come into contact with through any of agency ;)I am currently living in AZ but plan to move to OK shortly for professional and personal reasons.

No, they won’t discount the price for a larger EM since they are requiring it for a reason.

This seems like another reason that things are at the top. 

I also cannot get "normal" financing anymore - like your situation - but for a different reason in that I've hit 10 loans.  

For any number of reasons, people have been predicting it going back to 2015 from what I have seen.

It takes them a while to catch on.So retail appears to be slowing and I've actually seen a couple of more investor appropriate deals in the ballpark of reasonable (and by that I mean priced at 2x my number rather than 3x) on the MLS lately.

Anyone with knowledge of this area, do you have an idea of what is a reasonable expectation for a builder to pay for vacant lots in these areas?

Is there any way to find the reasons for the original debt?

The owner told me a price which seemed very reasonable.

I feel reasonably equipped for what we are trying to accomplish ( financial freedom in 5 years) but wide open to suggestions, guidance, mentoring, and changing the plan as needed;when needed.