Was thinking about setting up a simple WordPress booking site, and I’ve downloaded a couple apps like Cozi (literally just downloaded it) and was thinking about setting up individual properties as “family members” etc but... love to hear what’s proven as easy and simple.

I have been doing some reading on a Self Direct IRA for which an individual can take their 401k funds and move to a Self Directed IRA in order to purchase an investment property. 

• What are the average rents for the area (there are several online tools that can help you out with this)• What are the schools like in the area• Is the area primarily SFH, Multi-family or commercial? 

Start a document that outlines every system in a home and start compiling pricing information based on information from contractors (I used to be a GC and I'd rather give someone a price per SF over the phone rather than visit the property thinking they're ready to work), information from other investors, asking questions online, friends and family that have had work completed on their homes. 

There is some hands on exp but it’s mostly all theory and most of the information can be found online(I took a couple of electrical engineering classes) and to be honest the first thing most students do when they have any assignment and project is hop on Google....oh wow here’s the entire information or 90% of it and explained better....... most of what’s taught in school is now free online soooooo at this point it kind of makes you question traditional education since so much can be learnt for free or at a significant cheaper cost.

Sure individual markets could take a big hit (I'm looking at you Boston and SF), but I would be really surprised if the national averages took a hit like they did in 2008.

I briefly spoke to a lawyer that recommended we create an entity for each individual property, so if anyone can chime in on that.

Personally, I stay far away from seconds and generally advise others first getting into purchasing individual notes to do the same.

As far as buying 1 property with 3 unit vs buying 3 individual properties, it really comes down the the numbers.  

No lender is required to sell a note to anyone and no institutional lender is going to sell a note to an individual buyer.