You definitely want to use a thorough screening method like rentprep.com that gets their income, credit, background check, and call at least 3 references (make sure to verify them by address/job and then their name).  

Is that my first step?

Now you have enough to pique your interest further, but it still gives me the hee-bee-jeebies.Next step is to ask to see the offering documents regarding the syndication.

in a vast interview process with many steps before allowing someone to move in. a new roomie is an everyone-decision, not a landlord-only decision; if you're expecting people to co-exist in a space together (for longer than just a few months), you have to make sure they all have some things in common, or at minimum have the right expectations in terms of cleanliness and routine habits.someone working the night shift and someone else having a 5am rise-time, or someone who works from home in a call-center job is not going to jive well for example. and someone who doesnt handle conflict well is not going to jive with someone who is brutally honest and up front about issues. happy to go into more deets on how we do things if it will help. this can certainly be lucrative in terms of cash flow, but there are huge mud puddles i have stepped in over the years which i have had to learn to navigate.

He uses poorly thought through methods, I've listened to his "methods",  Thus, he has the high amount of  Due On Sale called in a short period of time. 

@Chris Morris have ALWAYS seen bad "deals" from rookie wholesalers that really don't understand what they are doing to provide value to the industry.It's getting worse because the real estate market has recovered from the 2010 Crash, yet many are still using tactics & methods developed during this time.Everyone in the industry needs to go back and look at what was being done BEFORE 2010 and start using those methods, updating them with current technology.

I hope to find a single-family home with at least 4 bedrooms, use the BRRR method to turn it into a short-term rental property.

Builders are stepping up to meet demand, and buyers are taking advantage of opportunities in new construction that they simply can’t find in the existing-home market right now.

Perhaps an installment sale will also achieve what you want if you can keep their income below a rate thrshold. if they are sensitive to capital gains, then think through options where you can get it stepped up. 

Exit StrategyResale Planning: Research market trends for optimal selling timing.Long-Term Investment: Consider retaining the property as a rental post-graduation.Marketability: Choose a property with appeal to future students or young professionals.By following these steps, you can make a well-informed decision and ensure a successful investment that benefits both you and your student during their college years and beyond.Peter Derry PHD Properties