This is FYI: Do not click on any email or links that says Credit Declined with Intuit logo's on it.  

You would think that in the electronic age that it would be a pretty quick check but then nothing with banking is very intuitive.

Go through the podcasts, threads and forums here on BP (not everything is accurate on these threads, forums or podcasts) Use your intuition.4.

Are there any more intuitive ways to find those free and clear properties.

Whether or not you can trust someone and the information they are giving you comes down to your own intuition.  

I'm hoping to get in with one that hold their loans in-house and has a good, intuitive, easy to navigate website so that I can do most of my banking online and only go in when I want to discuss loans etc.

It seems intuitive that if foreclosures are good, finding them earlier and when they are lesser known is even better.  

My intuition would have been that student housing rents were probably lower than average.

Especially when a seller lists a place for a reasonable amount.I will admit this is based on my intuition and just what I see around me.

That's exactly why you're in the drivers seat.The way you're looking at this is counter-intuitive to a point.