It seems like the price:rent ratio is more favorable (I can't buy a duplex in a 50 miles radius for less than 500k and it rents for 3k total)Which lender has been your favorite to work with?

My favorite is the Roth IRA or 401(k) for real estate investing.

I would second Nathan’s suggestion but take it a step farther offer the high school football, wrestling or other sports teams. 

Just curious if the BP community has any favorite markets for these types of investments.

What are some of your preferred/favorite ways for finding off market deals in San Antonio, and why?

I don't know how some markets operate, but typically with sports that are "minor league" (think AA and AAA baseball), the thought is "if you build it, they will come" -- well as someone who grew up near the Trenton Thunder AA baseball and then the Philadelphia (Chester) Union stadiums, I can tell you it does NOT work that way. 

REI is my favorite path to financial freedom!

We rise by lifting others, one of my favorite sayings I try to embody.

Rentals is the slower path, but gives you continuous cash flow, and your yearly profits are more more easily written off by having yearly expenses and yearly depreciation to help offset.It may take one of my rentals 4 years to deliver the same profits as your flip, but in year 5 and further I continue to earn income off the rental while you would have to keep exerting a (relatively) higher level of effort to continue to earn more income flipping.If flips is your favorite game, by all means you should keep doing it.  

Univ of Florida is ranked #7 as top public university with top sports teams and the cost of attendance at the bottom low.