I'm going to use a bit of analogy here...For a real estate investor, a spreadsheet or calculator is a tool...Just like a skill saw is a tool for a carpenter...As a carpenter apprentice, you should learn the necessary 'skill sets' and 'crafts' to safely and responsibly use your carpentry tools to provide a professionally finished product for your clients.As a new real estate investor, one of your main 'skills sets' or 'crafts' that you should develop is the ability to analyze the financials of potential deals. 

@Matt Fisher A self directed IRA or 401k may invest in real estate in many ways, so long as the transaction is completed at arm's length.Clients of ours have held rental properties, flipped properties, engaged in joint ventures with other investors to hold or develop property, invested in tax liens, and operated as private lenders to other investors.There is a distinction, however, between passive income such as interest on a note or tax certificate, or rents from real property, and "engaging in a trade or business" such as being a wholesaler, developer or re-developer (flipper) of property.  

My main area of expertise is Oil & Gas exploration/production, however, I have two partners that have convinced me to join in on a commercial development project.

We would be grateful for any suggestions.Hope everyone has an action-packed weekend, full of productivity, excitement, and expansion!

Whenever I see a commercial, the advertisers stage the set so the product will be more appealing.

We have a good topic / speaker and I guarantee there will be no product/services pitched. 

I just didn't know if I was going to be able to recreate the durability with the products on the market today especially since the plan is to keep this as a long term rental.  

I reached out to the mortgage broker I used in the past just to check to see if they have any products that they might be able to use for something like this (they had personally used it in a commercial structure but never in SFR).I will try to reach out to some local lenders.

It's probably more productive and less stressful. 

Know how long evictions will take and if in a landlord friendly versus tenant friendly state.Research any short sales or foreclosures happening from other apartment buildings locally or new product coming to market that might affect your rent rates and occupancy averages.