I find it interesting that I've not found any reports on the web of investigations, complaints of fraud from actual NRIA.

You can do a simple web search to find brokerage firms that will hang your license for a flat fee verse a % of every sale/purchase but you won't get much assistance from them and I am not sure exactly how "legal" all that is.Other things to consider, 1) there is a fee to have access to and be able to list on the MLS, 2) I think the state requires you to carry or it would be a very good idea to carry Errors and Omissions insurance commonly called E&O insurance 3) if you plan to tour properties, you will need to get those electronic keys that agents have and I am guessing there is an annual fee associated with that.Those are the big ones I can think of off the top of my head.

Bonus points for web presence. 

See below: I got this wording from the web after googling "Pennsylvania real estate license requirements".

I am a doctoral student with: [list]little debt (car loan and 35k in student loans), little assets (3k in an index fund, 7k in a target retirement fund/Roth IRA, 1k in individual stocks, 5k in cash), little income (just my student stipend of less than $20,000/year and another $2-3000 from web design and illustrating jobs on the side), and a little family (wife and two kids).

A good formula to use is =pmt(rate/12,Number of Payments,Loan Amount)This will quickly give you the monthly loan payment (principle & interest) based on any number of variables.I just did a quick Google search and found this website that has a web based calculator.http://www.vertex42.com/Calculators/loan-amortization-calculator.htmlI hope this helps.Michael

One problem is they don't last long from wind and sun.However, I am closing on a house that is in the college rental area, but is located on a dead-end dirt road with no traffic whatsoever.So I will be ordering customized 'For Rent' signs with my web site prominently featured.

*points to corner*Now lets git on that new fangled world wide web, and do us some searchin'!

I've read every book I can get my hands on and scoured this site and the web in general for all the information I can get.

I've looked at public records, both through the county web sites and through a title company.