2) My realtor is concerned about my desire to go through the FHA for a loan... given that they have strict property condition requires in order for the loan to be secured by the government.

The borrower and the security (the asset and docs associated with it).As a lender, you want to ensure the borrower has a performance history, can show skin in the game (some of their own capital placed into the investment), and has experience in performing on the particular investment.For the asset, you need to make sure your a LTV (loan to value) does not exceed a set amount you choose to give you “cushion” in the event the deal goes sideways and you need to take the property back.Your loan docs are also important and should include all the things you need to protect your investment such as a deed of trust (or mortgage in mortgage states), promissory note, balloon rider if the loan is not a fully amortized loan, personal guarantee rider (which is only worth something if the borrower has personal assets to go after), etc.For the asset itself, you need to know the strategy (buy and hold or fix and flip) verify the condition and amount of repairs, know the current market value and future market value after repairs, and have a plan in the event you need to take the asset to recoup your investment.

I have secured my financing by doing a cash out refi of my current home so I will basically be purchasing with cash.

I'm a freshman working towards my cybersecurity degree and will be getting a full-time paid internship this summer that will last till I graduate in 2023. I plan on using my money from that combined with the eventual ...

I personally have a few commercial loans originated by a credit union that are under $75K (10 year term & 25 year amort) and secured by real estate/leases.

Call it 15% interest only, 2 points, no early payoff penalty (obviously you pay this off ASAP), on the 25% down, but what YOU get out of it is the other 75% at the Fannie Mae interest rate/fees, oh and you personally didn't have to wait to save up another down payment, you get to move on that deal TODAY...In terms of security for your friend, note that the lent money was secured by the investor's primary residence where his personal family and children live, the center of his life, not a mere rental property that they might be willing to walk away from if it doesn't work out.

Email is NOT secure, and you will expose your contractors to unnecessary risk of identity theft.

Hard Money is lent primarily on the security of the underlying asset.I would line up a Hard Money Lender now as well as seeking possible Private Money Lenders.

My lease is up end of July and I thought I was being premature by already trying to secure a lender and agent.

But there could be other factors that would give more weight to one area over the other.