I have been in the office and in direct contact with the property manager to pick up packages and such too, which i electronically sign for on their system, but have not been told anything about rent.  

One syndicator I've been in direct contact with does mostly regular investor money & takes 1031 money also via TIC or a trust.

Anything you are reading to the contrary is not pointing you in the right direction.IRS rules prohibit any direct or indirect benefit between an IRA and a disqualified party.  

Howdy folks and happy spring!We (myself and my partner) desire to get into MF without bringing on sponsors by developing a relationship with a commercial lender by creating a commercially financed property.What's your...

This leads to them paying crazy amounts of money in direct mail just to get a deal.

Since it is in direct competition with that industry this would be the most logical path for it to take to legitimise the business.That is where it should be and would place it on equal footing in the appropriate industry. 

People see an opinion of value on a glitzy site and accept it as accurate.Using the opinion as a vehicle for drawing traffic to support pricing for selling advertising could be construed as performing valuation analysis for compensation, even though indirectly, perhaps?

As in, direct mail, door hangers, business cards, website...anything of this nature- that is personalized with  the realtors picture..etc.  

*side note* I think it's funny but if I told my family (at large) my plans, they would probably discourage me (directly and indirectly) from ever investing b/c of WXYZ reasons.

According to the IRS rules disqualified person is not allowed to provide any services to the IRA, engage in any transaction with the IRA or benefit from the IRA in any way (directly or indirectly):https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-particip...Buying a house to live in using IRA funds provides direct benefit to you (disqualified person) therefore this would be a violation or IRS rules.