I enrolled in some classes for a degree that I had zero interest in but had what I thought a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

I am now driving a semi for the next 4 years while my wife finishes her degree.

I'm by no means an expert, but I do know that if you're expecting to cash flow a $400k duplex in Ann Arbor, you likely do not have a high degree of financial or real estate education. 

I am from O'Neill Nebraska, obtained my bachelors degree in Criminal Justice and Spanish at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, and am currently moving to Omaha Nebraska.

   I want to ask if any  lenders require one to obtain a college degree in order to receive a loan to invest.

Agree to some degree that an inspector main job is to merely find all defects.  

My company members and partners own apartments, have degrees in conmputer science and electrical engineering, and we collectively understand the scope of work.

Risks can be mitigated and avoided to a large degree, but never fully eliminated ... so there is no investment vehicle in the world that will allow you to multiply your money 2-8x in 2-4 years with zero risk ... you should run away from anyone telling you otherwise. 4 things will keep you out of trouble and safe in a downturn, and you need all 4 (not just one):Equity: From a down payment and/or forced and/or market appreciationQuality Cash Flow: Not just any cash flow, but low maintenance, low volatility, stable, high quality cash flow that comes from high quality tenants who want to live in high quality property in high quality location.

For what it's worth here's what I decided on as a trial run:1xhttp://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/9021713...plus 3x (2 outer edge and 1 smack in the middle)http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/6021722...with the bracket turned 90 degrees so it can be attached to the upper part of the opening (with prior removal of the rail).

Vacancy is only a small part the degree of the success of being a landlord.