When you transfer retirement funds into a self directed account you can certainly buy real estate with it. 

The typical price for land development varies widely depending on the scope of the project, the location, and the type of development (residential, commercial, etc.).

If I’m right, why should real estate commissions be higher than, say, Charles Schwab commissions?

I would go to in-person real estate investor meetups (not masterminds) for six months without an ask and your partner or collaborator will appear.

I also run a handyman business and am diving into real estate investing.

I found this deal off market while making relationships with local real estate agents.How did you finance this deal?

PMLs exist, there's zillions of them, real estate investors work with them every day and PMLs fill a need and have a role to play as a specific tools for a specific situation.See if you can put a sharper point on your question.Mike Thanks for this Mike! 

Quote from @Ava Petruso: New to investing but been in the real estate game for 8 years as a high volume realtor.

Hard money is mostly for flipping properties or using it as a bridge money for a temporary solution if you need more time depending on what type of trouble you get yourself into.

Welcome to BP - you've come to the right place for resources on real estate investing!