This is becoming an expensive lesson...I chose a duplex and closed in the beginning of August 2018.

Make sure you are, in fact, spending less on a monthly basis than if you were buying/renting an equivalent personal property.

I went to college at Oklahoma City University.

I'm originally from Surfside Beach though I haven't lived their since I left for college.  

I don't care what your political affiliation is (believe it or not this comes up a lot with my investors), but a LOT of people are gung-ho on Texas as a state and lots of businesses are migrating there as well.Strategies can include buying properties near: major businesses/plants and colleges.

I just graduated college and I start a new job next month as a Project Engineer for a multifamily construction company.

Lessons learned?

I've seen lenders exempt years spent in college as "work history" but the borrower would still need to have sufficient funds/reserves and a solid credit score. 

As an example, I could get $1700 for a 2 bed/ 2 bath near Girard College back in 2018.

No soot, not operational, no insurance coverage.The lesson--the landlord should check all smoke detectors at least annually, and replace all batteries at that time, and invoice the tenant for the expense.