Smart ones already are thinking about utility estimates, any extra furniture or fees they have to pay.

Those relevant issues, specifically, are:There has been a large supply of undervalued homes on the market; and one of the catalysts for the current increase in home values has been real estate investors buying those homes for any purpose - fix and flip, rentals, whatever - it takes them off the market, and as inventory turns it energizes the market.As activity increases in the undervalued inventory, that attracts more investors.

Materials were under $100 each and the trencher was $150.Electric I had to have the local electric co-op run set in a new line to supply the two houses. 

I'm inclined to needing the answers at 1:00 am when I can't turn my brain off :-/   I was able to determine the supply of real estate through Realtor.com by simply searching the recently sold and the currently listed.

When staging a house, this lets you know where to put your "splash" furniture and accents.  

And as a result, the limited property supply already impeding sales in many markets may not ease anytime soon."

If they don't move in see if there is someone who would park in the driveway, enter the house at least weekly and potentially see if they will move some furniture in.

So maybe their is something to be said for having a rental in downtown fort collins or some other in demand area with a limit on supply of new housing and land.That's what's great about real estate is that their are really no right or wrong answers and people can be really successful with completely different opinions and approaches.

Student rentals: Over 40,000 college students in the area so lots of demand, however seems like a very "efficient market" i.e. savvy sellers, lots of supply and of course student tenants.

Aside from that, your plan would have the front door opening directly into great room which would basically create a hallway directly through the room, and limit furniture placement.