@Samuel Choi, PropStream is likely your best bet if you don't have access to the MLS, but you'll have to pay for a subscription. 

My oldest child is going to college next year in a town where I could buy a house for $160k. I've got the cash to buy it outright, then let him live there, rent out the other bedrooms to classmates, etc. And ideally s...

When you do renovate, what are the long-term plans with it to have it stand out in such a popular market?

consulting  a civil right attorney is probably your best bet.

If he doesn't do biz structure or contracts,  I bet he'll have referrals.  

tend to believe everyone is motivated by money; people who are lifestyle motivated think everyone is motivated by the least amount of time expended; people who are risk adverse can’t believe other people are willing to “bet” on outcomes even when the odds are clearly in their favor. 80% of the time (IMO) people who make decisions we disagree with are not making stupid, ill informed decisions or being “tricked”; they just have motivation, needs and desires different that our own.  

In that price point, you'll do well to look in Seminole Heights.Value add will always be your best bet for better ROI, but out of town buyers usually will want as close to turnkey as possible.A pool will add 30%+ to your ADR. 

I haven't seen any online forums but if there is one, I bet it's a Facebook group. 

Would the best bet be for me to just park a chunk of that money in a high yield savings account until tax time?

Overall, this is a popular strategy in the Midwest for converting large old homes into multifamily units.