New investor in Raleigh

[Xavier Mazza]

Good morning BiggerPockets community! 

I am a new investor in Raleigh intent on beginning my real estate journey with a house hack. Having spoken to a number of realtors and investors (if we've talked before, thank you for taking the time to share your advice) I have been informed that a college student without a W2 income is unable to qualify for a FHA or conventional home loan.

That being said, I will not have a full-time job secured until I graduate in 3 years. What is the best course of action for me to get my foot in the door and begin investing within the next year? I have access to a decent chunk of capital, however, am uncertain about going the routes of either private or hard money. Syndications are also an option; I will continue to research these options to determine whether one of them appeals to me.