I am happy to share that I recently came across a solution called Property Llama that is a huge step forward for folks like us..

College does sound like a useful and fun experience that I would like to partake in. 

Finding a duplex in Anne Arundel with 1 deed is like looking for a needle in a haystack . 

Wow that sounds like a huge project!!!

Sounds like a cash out refinance would be the best way to tap into that equity. 

Still I'd like to know if the rest you are still planning to meet up for coffee?

What challenges did you face, especially when it comes to things like entitlement, zoning, and overall project planning?

I am just starting out here in South Carolina looking to network meet a community of like-minded individuals.  

Have your broker or banker pull and send you rent comps / market concessions / etc. from like kind / vintage / size properties in the immediate neighborhood surrounding your asset in Baton Rouge, and then make a value judgement on whether you have room to push.

Avoid them like the plague.