You can definitely get away with a smaller EMD or you could wrap it into the assignment fee.

So, any apartment near the convention center could attract business short term renters year round. 

Its great you want to jump into this, but depending on what you do, college is only four years -- and not even all year round. 

Whether you get licensed before or after graduation is up to you and the available opportunities at the time.Once you are graduated and licensed, I would seek to become a member of a team as an admin, transaction coordinator, or even a buyer's or seller's agent in a learning environment from a team leader or managing broker who can and will take you under their wing and teach you the ropes, which will launch your career the right way.From there, with some success on the residential side, I would proceed on the commercial side to round out your education, then decide from there where you really want to place a stake in the concrete and move ahead.The above may well be a 5 year plan at minimum, but no one ever got anywhere in this business of any other without a plan and a roadmap.Best of luck to you!

I am not surprised that a company surviving on a steady stream of payouts from big corporations can get away with mediocre service. 

In all honesty I don’t mind being a little more conservative because I look at this more as a long term investment rather than a quick ticket to financial freedom.

Maybe now that she knows she can't get away with not paying you she will move you higher up the priority list. 

All of our properties need to be in an area where the average rents align with the cost of the property, rehab costs, annual expenses, as well as long term capex (bigger ticket items such as HVAC).

You should be able to fill year round.

Be polite and if there is a lot of work that needs to be done or some big ticket items, mention that when you give them your offer price.