They surely put a lot of billboards along major freeways advertise for almost free listing and will pay for repair and staging at discount prices.

Your profit is someone else's loss" is utterly ridiculous and sounds like some socialist rhetoric.

No need to reinvent the wheel.The truth is, a "preapproval" may be issued by a lender utterly irrespective of an "application". 

(and the sub section on REAL ESTATE MARKETING TOOLS & TECHNOLOGY TAXES & ACCOUNTING LEGAL TEAM)Bonus for the weekend, my collection for starters (read the comments too, and then if you like the author, go check out what else they wrote):https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/stages-of-investing/-https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/newbies-learn-real-estate-investing/-https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/5-ways-to-know-youre-not-ready-to-invest/-https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/ideal-vs-desperate-investor/-https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/how-much-to-offer-property/-https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/hazardous-attitudes-of-investors/-https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2016/05/31/21-traits-scammy-real-estate-investment-guru/-https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/youre-not-cut-out-to-be-real-estate-investor/-https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/questions-new-investors-should-ask/If this not enough to get you started and keep you busy ...let me know and I'll send you a list of blogs, podcasts, and books. 

I'm thinking that a want to mainly focus on multifamily after I get rolling because of the residual income but obviously I have a lot to learn before I get to that stage. 

I would like to check in with you to see what type of staging we should use for homes in this price range.

You are in the early stages and you have lots to learn.

I would like to find some properties down there close to campus, just have moved to that stage yet.

I wish I could have provided more information but that is all I know at this stage.  

It’s very possible to get it down to 75% by doing the project as a whole instead of 2 stages.