Serious first question which may seem odd but will help advise - Do you anticipate your kids going to an Ivy league school with no scholarship, or are you thinking Cali State school with partial scholarship, or something in between?

Most of the properties are around clear lake and league city are.

I had 3 career programmers with ivy league graduate degrees who had seen the property, had all monies in hand and were local. 

I’m down in League City so I’ll definitely be attending some meetings.

They were the LA Angels and not a Major League team.

Definitely start small, because when you are in the big leagues, a small mistake is multiplied many times over and can sink you very quickly.

For example, suppose one is applying to an Ivy League institution, but has a poor GPA and SAT scores.

Good point Account ClosedA bank needs to consider the big picture with profitable customers.If the release can be prudently justified considering credit history, ability to pay, profitability of the borrower, good management, secured position with sufficient collateral a bank may release a guarantor as the bank may well have loan concentration issues with any one borrower, that's usually getting beyond the small investor league.

How did they get their network at that age if not through family or Ivy League connections?

Then he tells me about the major land development he is doing in Brazil so I now thank God I listen to BP podcast because it gave me the confidence not run from the table because I am sooooo out of my league.