Take advantage of the lower downpayment programs early on and once you are tapped out of conventional loans, I would consider alternative financing. 

If your project qualifies for EPP (Express Permit Program), then you don’t have to secure permits in the traditional way.

They've recently introduced a program called "pre REO" which gives them a strategy to help pull investment capital from these assets which are waiting for foreclosure and exit so that they can recover some of the investment capital from the assets to meet redemption and capitalization requirements for the fund.

With a teaching and leadership backgroud, I have an interest to help others write their programs or review their presentations to address every learning style.

Then as people move out do the exact same thing to those units.You can get in with an FHA loan at 3.5% or a first time home buyer program. 

I would benefit from this program because it would decrease my 1:30-2 hours commute down to under 30 minutes.

Are you offering any special programs, incentives, or advice to help them close out the year successfully? 

In our case we tripled our deal flow when we started a program of direct email to mortgage brokers, real estate brokers, and real estate investors who could bring us either mortgage notes for sale or new loan opportunities for loans not qualifying for commercial financing.  

In Minneapolis, are there programs in place from non profits and the government to aid first time home buyers with costs?

This is an option to consider and many larger banks/credit unions and nationwide mortgage lenders have released new loan programs allowing 2nds, HELOANS and HELOCS.