Non-jumbo, estimate 86% LTV, seeking to refi into conventional to free up VA entitlement.

As an SFR investor I was PMed by a private lender through biggerpockets with some really good rate & terms, like conventional loan type numbers.I haven't given them a whole lot of personal information as yet and am not too far into the process but my Spidey-Sense is going off a bit. their website has some content not a ton, it looks to have been registered a little over a month ago.I don't have a lot of experience working with a private lender so what is the normal process, what information do they ask for up front?

Many investors also use hard money due to not being able to acquire conventional loans for investment properties.

For me, when I got started it was a) access to cheap private capital (family & friends), b) a willingness to house hack and live with roommates, c) location in a city with a cheap real estate inventory, and d) a friend who was also investing and could help me with some contractor contacts.Yours will be different, for example maybe you know a certain area of the city very well and can recognize underpriced MLS properties, or you have the time to send out direct mail and take phone calls, or you have the temperament to knock on doors of potential sellers, or you are very handy and can save money on the rehab, or you have a very long-term investment horizon so you can buy in marginal areas, or you love networking and can convince someone to JV a deal... you get the idea.  

Peter,I have not seen a conventional lender offering portfolio/blanket loans in the past 5 years ... not in the residential space.We've been using a variety of the methods you listed to continue investing once our initial war chest was depleted.  

Two things you need in the land business is good inventory and a way to find buyers.

I'm pre-qualled for a conventional loan with 20% down, so I have some skin in the game.

I have seen down payments ranging from 15-25% to get conventional financing on an investment property, really looking to put as little down as possible.

These buyer are 90% cash buyers, so the deal gets closed much faster than conventional loan process.

So, we are coming to the limit on our conventional mortgages.