Making connections in the community may lead to business opportunities and offer insightful information about the local market.Look into internet platforms where properties could be listed in addition to more conventional approaches.

How about employment?

Additionally, you can always ask for a bank statement showing that they have decent reserves. 

They are substantially changing other terms in the lease by asking for an additional option to renew, asking us to refund the security deposit, asking us to allow assignment without our consent, and insisting on us paying a commission amounting to almost $10K for the privilege of giving up all that.I just wanted a sanity check that this should not be all that difficult or onerous on us!

Additionally if someone is aware of good rental management local companies, let me know. 

Mostly, you’ll be renting to local residents (some of whom may be employed by the university), but they’re not paying the rents that students are.

My property is 2 bed 2 bath with an additional bed in the upstairs loft.

For me, I prefer to physically visit the different neighborhoods in the area that I plan to buy in as well as look at online crime & census tools (employment, pop. growth) 

From my experience those who succesfully self perform have enough volume where the construction management becomes their full time employment.

There is more leg work with Section 8, so yes most Property Managers will charge for the additional work.