I would invest any spare cash (savings from your job, or cash flow from the upstairs unit) into a reserve fund for any major repairs that may come up down the road and then, secondly, to start accumulating cash for a second property.

I would recommend you not start from scratch and jump start to the next level with your spare parts + cash on hand.Is starting off with duplexes/4plexes still the best route to go?

Guideline, not a rule.I’d still send them an offer in the mail for around $140k AS-IS with a draft contract of some kind if you can spare the postage!

That said, conventional loans will be the lowest cost if you can meet their profile and have the time to spare. 

Im not sure but if a birdie just happened to tell her to change the locks herself and to notify the landlord in a letter with new keyse that she lost her keys or that they were stolen and she had no time to spare for fear of a stranger having them, the landlord would be clear from locking anyone out.

I'm looking for a broker that requires minimal startup fees and monthly payments with as much support as possible (I am a college student and don't have a lot of money to spare on these fees starting up).

I currently work on shifts so I have a fair bit of spare time each month to tie up any loose ends.

Spend every spare minute educating yourself.

I currently own 2 single family homes and one duplex with 13 renters.I currently work as an engineer and in my spare time (whether it be on the road when I travel for work or while I'm "working") I'm constantly dreaming of getting into REI full-time.I've grown up working on houses all my life (dad was a contractor) and that's how I began my career as a landlord-went to school, bout a foreclosure, fixed it up and put me and a couple buddies in it.

My wife and I, in our spare time, have started a small sf real estate business over the last 2 years.