@Oscar FreimanThe following IRS website confirms that IRAs may be invested in real estate provided the IRA custodian will cooperate in serving as the custodian. https://www.irs.gov/Retirement-Plans/Retirement-Plans-FAQs-regarding-IRAs-InvestmentsTherefore, it is a matter of finding a custodian that will serve as custodian of your self-directed IRA, and there are a few in your state as well as across the nation.

If the properties are similar in construction and equipment (furnace, AC, water heater, ranges, etc), then splitting on size is an easy way to do it.  

Double the size of the LA area and 35 times the size of NYCI don't pay attention to these reports because it is impossible to generalize and area that big as one single data point.  

I am serving as an active duty military member who is currently deployed outside the United States.

They take up a lot of space and are difficult to fit in a standard file cabinet (since they're legal sized).Is there any reason at all to keep the paper copy of the HUD if you have a pdf copy?

Its way too much trouble to count out every potential unethical job under the sun because we are all sinners and scumbags come from all walks of life, shapes, sizes, careers, colors and religions.

My though is more in line with lower entry barrier but yet good size cash flow.

Some things with bad agents are just outside of a brokerages control.The size of the disclosure will vary state to state.

I learn a ton off the site and podcasts, which helps me, as a real estate agent, better serve my investor clients. 

Depending on what town and the size/condition of the apartment, you might be able to get more than $1200 a month for a 2 bedroom with the lack of available rentals on the market currently.