Usually a primary home is going to offer the best option to borrow against for higher LTV/CLTV, lower rate, and less fee's (No points).

This would be a flat fee payment for the use of their license for permitting SFH.

Don't venmo payments-- I used to use zillow (no fees).

Used a local attorney to handle the closing docs for a lower fee.

Live in new home while it appreciates for 10 years until I get a faculty housing spot, sell private market house, put proceeds (minus downpayment) in bank for retirement (I estimate this will be 1.3 mil before capital gains and real estate fees based on 7% growth in a very desirable Southern California location), and take out new loan for lower cost faculty housing.

They will f@ck you on the fees and higher rate. 

What I will do is attempt to find a QUALIFIED substitute tenant, credit the original tenant with the rent paid by the new tenant LESS one or two months fee for the extra work and effort, but I will NOT release the original tenant from liability should the substitute tenant default.Look, the bottom line is that renting to tenants is a business, just like any other business.  

After looking into multiple skip tracing services and deciding on Smarter Contact, my partners and I were upset to find there were quite a few charges after paying $300 for the service; including a $140 fee to remove the "reply STOP to unsubscribe" feature.

I would have saved few thousand dollars in inspection fees and appraisal fees if I had known that and I had a friend send me detailed videos.I'm not sure if this information is available in all counties but where I bought in the Indianapolis metro area, I can look up property tax records.

You are mention the higher costs for MTR-- I would adjust the cleaning fee and add incidental insurance like Waivo to cover those costs.