Are there any specific regions or neighborhoods where you're experiencing favorable rent rates relative to property acquisition costs?

I suspect you will have other answers that are a variant of specific information and tips.One that is a little different that I'll toss out there: find someone that has done this before, that also has $250k+, that wants to be a mentor, and see if they will go in together with you.

This is area specific by law and unit type.

In my senior seminar class, one of our assignments is to identify a mentor to meet with in person or virtually 4 times this semester in an industry we are interested in pursuing upon graduation.I would love to connect with a bigger pockets member that has experience in personal real estate investing for themselves or who has work experience in a specific field that has allowed other people to achieve financial independence through real estate investing.

In regards to the problem of specifically finding a deal, I developed a platform with the aim of easing the property-finding process for single family properties on the MLS.

How is maintenance handled and what specific info is shared with owner & when?

You can argue about some of the specific numbers in the assumptions, but the bottom line is, there is no "free lunch" when it comes to paying tax. 

As a broker, I'm always trying to find the best deal for the specific client and property.If you are looking for local private money lenders, your local real estate investment groups might have some leads for you as well.Most institutional private lenders are going to need an appraisal/valuation of the property, and permits to be issued for the construction of the building (if your area requires it). 

I specifically recommend investing in the Dallas/Ft.

It seems like it is ran similar to section 8 housing with vouchers and specific property requirements.