Many people choose NOT to have this, because the administrator will then vet every investment you make to ensure you do not invalidate your IRA.Invalidating your IRA means that you've done a prohibited transaction and the entire account is then deemed as distributed to you.If you don't want checkbook control, then I recommend a plan administrator such as Equity Trust - www.trustetc.comIf you are sure that you're aware of all the rules around prohibited transactions and disqualified people (who you can and can't do business with), then a plan administrator like Sense Financial would be a good place to start talking.  

If I had to leave a takeaway from this post before getting too far in it would be that whatever goals are had you have, we have these goals for a reason and typically it does not go exactly as planned but even if it doesn't go as planned, we can pick up where we left off and give it a fresh start.

Unfortunately, while there are other methods to acquire investment properties, the reality is you need cash and reserves to plan and set up your investment portfolio accordingly. 

Quote from @Daniel Tanasa: Another option is to get a small cash out refinance from the house you plan on fixing up, if is in financeable condition, and use that to fix it up, while still cash flowing.

Sounds like I've got the plan all laid out in front of me. 

Yes, 401(k) plans, IRAs, SEP-IRAs and all other kinds of retirement plans are still the backbone of your wealth accumulation, especially if they are self-directed.

As for the areas to target, my goal in getting our feet wet as real estate investors--and since we plan to be living in Sac--is to find a property we can live in while renting out one or more units to help cover our housing expenses, which we can then hold and continue to rent out when we move.

Courtesy of the video, criteria to consider include Deal Type, Management Plan, Business Plan, Financing, Asset Class, Ownership Structure, Property Class, Location, Purchase Price, Rehab Costs, Risk Target, and ROE Targets.

However, anything that impacts functionality like plumbing, HVAC, or safety issues should be handled before listing to avoid turning off potential renters/buyers.If you’re re planning to lease it, tenants will expect everything to be move-in ready before signing.

My plan is to purchase a home that I will hold onto while hoping to gain both forced and time appreciation.