Also when it comes to color, I'd attempt to avoid trends and go w/ a medium brown without significant amounts of gray/red/yellow whatever.

Have you explored short-term/medium-term rentals in your area for enhanced cash flow?

The market where I would build: medium size town with median home price at $331K, average rent for a fairly nice 2 bedroom apartment or duplex at around $1000, a severe rental housing shortage, and zero multi-families currently on the market for sale. 

I go to the polytechnic campus and know of some students who have classes both in Tempe and Gilbert who may enjoy your location as a medium ground.

It looks like a fixed width file.

The best is probably a medium stain on wood with a couple coats of poly.

I would look for smaller to medium sized firms -- especially ones that have a lot of clients in real estate. 

The medium sized guy with local ownership that will actually give a rip does the best.

Flip a coin as to what happens in the medium term (6 months to 2 years).

Have you spoken with large banks and medium sized banks?