Most universities look at the parent's residence status for the kids application - if I do this a year or more ahead of time, would I be able to have him enter a university in my new state as an in-state resident? 

I would recommend getting pre-approved through underwriting if you want a step ahead.

I would try to get ahead of this now.

Although every situation is different and the possibility to succeed using either strategy is possible, I'm curious to hear the opinions of experienced investors to form a realistic view of the market before I go ahead and purchase my first investment. 

If you can pay off your student loans AND house hack, by all means go ahead.

At this point when you get the hard money then you could go ahead and just do a rate and term refinance to get out of that loan for better termsMy question though is... if they are turnkey already why not just take out a long term Loan on them in the first place?

Lots of routes and adventures ahead, stick with it.

We like "A STEP Ahead" PM... connect with @ChadStickley 

She went ahead and grabbed her license to list our properties.

Went ahead and had the outside clean out dug today and the line being snaked