We have a grad students at ECU and hospital employees in all of our rentals.

Seems like a useful tool besides having to set up a C-corp and pay myself as an employee which I do not like in the least.  

More of a employee employer dialogue.

You can administer plan investments, but should not be acting as an "employee" of the plan or errand boy, ... and certainly not swinging hammers.  

My advice is you will not need a LLC until you hire employees.

Once you know you are thinking like an entrepreneur and not w2 employee or victim mentality than you can get more specific with real estate sales books or rehab estimation books.

You are essentially an employee of the business you're operating. 

I am switching jobs, and have the opportunity to take my employer matched retirement account (a Municipal Employees Benefit Trust, used in lieu of Social Security) to invest in real estate.  

An employee may be in breach but a serious business may exercise their prerogative to overlook that if they feel the employee is a high performer or even just for overall morale.

So currently its me,my wife and 1 employee that run this business.