I am also a private money lender with funding up to $600k.Welcome Warren, sounds like you are doing pretty well with taking all the right steps.

completed the finishing touches, but it was pretty much a turn key deal What was the outcome?

It sounds like trying to find a DSCR lender that will do no points is your best bet.

My biggest fear is getting on the phone with a potential seller and not being able to articulate or persuade them to sign a contract with me.A good deal is a property that you have done due diligence on and have run the numbers on to make sure it will fit a sound investment strategy.

This may be a case where you are trying to force the issue by wanting to complete a flip transaction where your market is telling you its not the right time.

He has already paid until July when his lease is over, but is now completely avoiding me.

Seriously, they really don't sound like they know what they are doing.

Basically sounds like you’re putting down an extra $20k for…Him choosing the property (I assume/hope it’s really you both choose or it’s actually to his advantage to pick it, so this I feel can be disregarded.)Him running all the property management. 1) feels like he might get sick of doing all the work and forget why he’s doing it. 2) you’re paying $20k more to not have to do it so how long would it take for property management fees to reach $40k?

In cases where things are completely removed, I have charged the whole amount depending on what the situation is, you take all the knobs off something like a stove, I am charging for replacement.  

A lot of people are still worried because of rates and uncertainty and generally would advise against buying anything now but with REI, if you can do it and it makes sense financially make it happen now rather than later and possibly miss out on it completely.