They pretty much turned a cold shoulder to me and said figure it out myself with the construction company they set me up with. 

I would network at REIA meetings, etc. to find an experienced local investor for whom the numbers are working (I guarantee you they are out there) and look over their shoulder to see if they are doing their math different than you are, or perhaps they are working on a completely different equation than you are.

It really feels like 10 bricks were just taken off my shoulders!

This was a huge weight off my shoulder, as having what is essentially a mortgage (student loans)  is a huge hindrance to investing in real estate.  

I was in first class so not as intrusive to the neighbor as being back in coach where your really shoulder to shoulder. 

In March I went skiing in Colorado, but I broke my tiba, fiba,clavicle, and shoulder blade, I had surgery on them.

I managed to consistently get a 2.5 to 3 year ROI on my properties which was double what I would have gotten going the traditional rental route. the one thing I had to learn was to set my pricing as high as possible during the peak periods and really drop them in the shoulder periods.

And I carry no chip on my shoulder.

So, it's difficult for any listing agent to really set themselves as head-and-shoulders above the average Realtor, since all Realtors place their listings in the MLS.

Separate the real (local) investors from the "talkers", and ask one of the local experts if you can look over their shoulder for a day.