As an income property, it's evaluated the same as commercial: by it's income production.

In addition, our properties are going to be made "purpose-built," a finished product thats specifically designed to attract today's college students with amenities that appeal to that demographic.

A property that qualifies for 1031 treatment is one that you purchased with the intent to hold for productive use in business trade or for investment.  

Outside of fund raising cash, are there different banks or loan products that I'm overlooking?

Also, I communicate w/some other investors who've had decent success w/debt (home loans) via various platforms the past 3-4 years and a few have noted an uptick in delinquencies and/or defaults the past 3-6 months depending on the platform and a decline in the quality & qty of the offerings in general (higher LTV, slightly lower rates, etc).

Brandon has BP, Ben Leybovich has CFFU, and others just continue doing things within real estate (PM, flipper, broker, realtor, developer, etc..) to reduce the turbulence.The concept of retiring quickly using RE has been published in blog posts and mentioned in several podcasts but it is oversimplified for mass media production.

I have been reading as many Robert Kiyosaki books as I have been able to make time for and feel I have a decent grasp of RE investing, yet I feel apprehensive and somewhat lost surprisingly with how to get started.I recently declined a subscription to join the Rich Dad Coaching sessions due to funds (way too expensive) and have decided to stick with other means of learning the business by way of conversations with people that have had success in RE investing.  

I have been laid off twice in the past couple of years due to P&w market decline.

@Jeff BridgesI'm always a little bit hesitant to recommend placing an umbrella over the top of another carriers products.

. :)You can pay $6,997 to ask him at his "Power Players" seminar in Maui this November. http://www.thecorco.com/products/power-players-whistler-2016Both of my friends go to this event every year and swear by it.