As you said you are currently still employed there, so you can't do it right away until you leave employment there.Second, once you've rolled over, you can setup your SDIRA as a regular account (where fund release has to go via your custodian) or setup a LLC checkbook option, where you can write out a check for your choice of investments.Yes you will have full control over the use of funds in your rolled over SDIRA. 

Welcome Meghan, as Tanner said, there are some great meetups around town.

As others have said the house hacking idea is great,  I have an investor that will be getting control of a $1m quad for just $75k.  

Also, I'm looking for something to keep me busy as I ease into my retirement.You are trying to hack the primary residence part to reduce taxes and if you really can do it and you really live there then it will be fair, but if you deviate at all, the town will come for you and you will never get anything renovated if they think you aren't living there and it's not liveable.

NYC and the Bronx and Queens and Brooklyn are generally impossible wholesale areas anyway, but if you add in that you are an out-of-town student alleging to buy people's houses, NYers will eat you alive.

If you're in one of the Primo in-town neighborhoods your rent floor should be higher.Compared to short term rental - your gross rents will be lower, but that comes with lower headache. 

Finally, confirm if there are any existing service contracts (for landscaping, pest control, etc.) that may need to be transferred or canceled.

seems high. this town is very expensive so bids are always highs.For the residential I plan to just build lots.For the farmstead area our plan is to build our primary home and then 5 smaller cabins for rentals.That road above is a smaller access road to the little cabins.

It also comes down to what kind of market you are in-- what do guests who come to town want? 

I have to think a ski town is all about STR  not the opposite