Ultimately, if those numbers are too conservative, then my reality will produce better numbers than I was hoping for.

By most accounts, a syndication that produces 5% is bottom of the barrel unless you are looking at monster asset managers with core property. 

I imagine it’s a different story if you’re buying turnkey and don’t have a healthy rehab budget...Good luck!

Most people either have cash or they have savings they have accumulated over time in an IRA or 401(k), or both - but not a theoretical pile of cash they can choose to direct to one or the other.When considering real estate holdings in a retirement plan, the better and generally more applicable question is; "Will this rental property investment produce better return for my retirement savings than other investments I could make with the 401(k) plan?"

Could I open a management company under a new LLC, charge market rates and pay income taxes on any income produced by that company?

If the sister is young, healthy, and has stated she's not leaving the discount would be significant. 

Over-priced, under-rehabbed homes, in tough neighborhoods managed by a property manager who is more interested in the money made from sales/rehabs than properly managing the properties.I love helping investors turn around poorly performing portfolios, but some of these deals are so upside down it will not produce a solid return for years.

We got this far and we’re able to produce one report for one zip code but apparently it will take forever to repeat this task for 9 zip codes I need.

If there is a competitor in your market with a quality similar to the one you are looking to produce, post it here, and we can help you estimate. 

M&M produces quality research and offers much more than the report below.