@Stephanie Barthelemy here are some of the reasons you are running into an issue.  

I don't see any reason to commit new capital in this market given that anyone can get a guaranteed 5%+ via Treasury Direct short-term 4-week T-bills. 

Others want to talk to you all day for no reason or have a bunch of nitpicky ways.

That is true, again, this is why I'm researching on this prior to getting into this mess.

Personally would not buy investment real estate in TX unless its NNN commercial (and have done so), for the very reasons you've stated.

@Sainath Muntha the reason a PMC can make or break your business is because while most PMCs offer the same services, how they execute those services varies greatly.Don't shop on price as you'll get exactly what you pay for when you go cheap.

The reason I ask is because I live out of state and I am curious as to how different that process is compared to investing close to where you live?

So that can't be true. 

The Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania, encompasses the Cities of Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton, and surrounding areas- has been growing and evolving as an attractive real estate investment destination for several reasons: Rising Property Values: The Lehigh Valley's housing market has shown substantial growth, with properties appreciating steadily.

Getting with the right builder should be the best way to go for the following reasons:-builders will know how to best guide you on the cost of clearing the land and the construction cost; and the arv (especially if they have done some nearby properties).