Getting your real estate license can certainly be worth it, you can get access to your local MLS, and perhaps you can earn some extra income being an agent. 

I plan on buying my first property (hopefully a multi unit) using an fha loan and living in one apartment while renting out the other.

I just take a look at apartments around mine and see what they go for.

If there is not a shared laundry facility that is easy for the tenants to access, then I would suggest adding them to the unit. 

Not sure what the licensing differences are but you may need a commercial license to access that database or work though a commercial broker.

I was just wondering why this is not a part of the monthly HOA fees I pay?

Then my mortgage company had a list of things I had to submit, including inspections they performed, before sending back the money.I would think anyone with flood insurance would have to go through the same process of working with the mortgage holder to get access to the insurance funds.Now if the government steps in and offers money to affected homeowners, no telling what rules will or will not be in place around those funds.

The Self-Directed IRA and Solo 401k Similarities Both were created by congress for individuals to save for retirement;Both may be invested in alternative investments such as real estate, precious metals tax liens, promissory notes, private company shares, and stocks and mutual funds, to name a few;Both allow for Roth contributions;Both are subject to prohibited transaction rules;Both are subject to federal taxes at time of distribution;Both allow for checkbook control for placing alternative investments;Both may be invested in annuities;Both are protected from creditors;Both allow for nondeductible contributions; andBoth are prohibited from investing in assets listed under I.R.C. 408(m).The Self-Directed IRA and Solo 401k DifferencesIn order to open a solo 401k, self-employment, whether on a part-time or full-time basis, is required;To open a self-directed IRA, self-employment income is not required;In order to gain IRA checkbook control over the self-directed IRA funds, a limited liability company (checkbook IRA) must be used. 

Nick,The whole project was rehabed in 2014 and updated with handicap access on the first floor, new roofs, and better parking arrangement.

I would expect it to be a lot easier to use the original lender (assuming they are the servicer) because they will be the most familiar with the loan and have better access to loan specific docs.