Establish relationships with brokers specializing in multi-family properties, send letters to property owners, and use online platforms like LoopNet, Crexi, and CoStar.

Once we hit junior year and started leaving the dorms, we had established ourselves well enough in our college town that we weren't going home for the whole summer anyways.

You'd do better just driving a neighborhood (a lot) to get the feel.

It is great to slowly have cities that do 1033, in order to establish a proof of principle of how this law can work, and encourage other cities to follow suit.

I think I'm sitting around 10% bad guests overall (no scientific formula here, lol), and 5-10% are just a lot to deal with. 

You gave me a lot to think about, I am confident the rent can be increased and have a contractor/property manager lined up who has inspired a lot of confidence and comes with good references. 

An Architect can look out for your best interest in the project plus can bring all the Engineers necessary for the build (Civil, Structural, MEP, Sprinkler/Fire suppression, etc.)As far as the build itself, if it's in an established city or town on a tax lot, then you'll need to go through the design and permitting process, gain zoning approval if necessary, and then build up from there.

There's a lot to what you are asking so I'll try to break it down one at a time:1.

Once established, you will be designated trustee of the 401k and will have full control over it, without any middleman.

I still have a lot to learn but glad I joined this community to reap all the benefits of its resources.