Owner pays water/trash/sewer & natural gas for water and heat.

In the immediate future I definitely want to house back a multi family home, in Hudson County (which is a very tough market for any numbers to make sense) but as an agenT with access to MLS , and networking with varIous contractors due to the nature of my job, I think I’m in a good position to find something that has some value - add potential , as to not pay a premium , because I have the knowledge and means to improve it either myself or through people I knoW , so that would be my immediate short term goal.

You may want to partner with someone local to make sure everyone has skin in the game.

I'm actually in a similar boat as you Tyler; fairly new to the landlord industry (due to the nature of my job) and constantly looking for new resources that might be of some benefit.

You may find a mentorship grows naturally out of those efforts.

It’s not as simple as people believe since Utility bills are complicated by nature.

@Joseph GarnerThe more skin in the game you have, the less likely you are to walk away from the loan if it goes south. 

At first, we were looking to do deals on properties in good school districts, which naturally drove up the possible purchase costs.

It has been my experience that students will flake out on signed leases but not signed leases AND skin in the game (i.e. money).

I'm assuming local meet ups and things of that nature.