A tough thing we've found though (like you mentioned) is even the highly rated foundation folks in our area -- as well as a lot of the content online -- all have a strong incentive to sell big high-margin solutions.

I have over 18+ years in the REI game and the financing side is my expertise.  

Think of it as free vs pay to play video games.

Though I appreciate the idea of finding online resources and studying them, I find that a curated, tried and true formula (if it works) is much more worth my time than spending time trying to find which resource works best and then spitballing the ideas until something sticks. 

Established on line presence5.

Quote from @Logan Williams: As a former student at the U of A, big rival games, homecoming, and greek life family weekends are a huge influx of people looking for lodging, with only a few hotels in close proximity to the University, STR's that are attractive can be few and far between.

That's what I've heard from others and read online as well.

How do you balance the wants vs. needs game while still enjoying life today?

You can find different strategies on how to find and reach these folks, such as driving for dollars, targeting mailing lists, networking with Realtors and other wholesalers, and having an online presence, plus paid social media ads, etc.

check the local municipal code, most are online.