The agent was getting pushed pretty hard by his brokerage to get this signed before putting in an offer, so I caved, but limited the date. 

Dan makes a great point - you want to be clear of any areas that are working on limiting the ability to rent OR cap your rental potential.

Address Your Financial ProfileBridge the Revenue Gap: Highlight your equity in the duplex and use your sale proceeds to demonstrate “skin in the game.”Partner to Compensate Experience: A financially strong and experienced partner can help offset your limited track record.Focus on the Land Deal: Secure the land at a good price, as it’s a crucial step in gaining credibility and attracting partners.Final ThoughtsYou’re entering an exciting and impactful space in real estate development.

You need a firm estimate for the remainder of the work as your funds are limited (like most people who don't have an endless amount of money). 

It seems like there are so many limitations to buying real estate with self-directed IRAs. 

Here is what the IRS says on the subject: Election for Husband and Wife Unincorporated Businesses A business owned and operated by the spouses through a limited liability company does not qualify for the election Only businesses that are owned and operated by spouses as co-owners (and not in the name of a state law entity) qualify for the election.

Lancaster city limits short term rentals to only certain zones of the city so definitely look at the city website for that information.

Zoho has an in-built dialer and can integrate with SMS services, offering a good balance of functionality and ease of use.Each of these CRMs has its own set of strengths and potential limitations, so I'd recommend taking advantage of any free trials or demos they offer.

Simply put, there are a limited amount of PMs that will operate in the area, so I ended up with poor management.

If you dont have a great team to work with you can lose your shirt even if the house is next door to where you live... there are lots of great areas but only a limited number of great teams so our final choice has always been team driven... saying that we look for an area where there are lots of opportunities  and rental houses available in good areas using the 2 % rule  we found this in Detroit and Toledo  more then willing to share what we do and what we have learnt over the years