The broker will charge a broker fee so if there are a lot of no fee rentals in your area I would just advertise myself.

Your best bet is to make a couple friends in the lending world.

I think your best bet is to find and network with other student rental owners in the same student market. 

We require proof of insurance before move in or we automatically charge them for additional liability insurance which is not refundable but can be cancelled the following month as soon as we receive there proof of insurance.Yes you should be listed on the policy so that you not only receive proof of insurance from the insurance company but also notices of renewal or lapse.

I charge $400 a week for a 2/1. 

They sign it and they still sometimes show up and change their mind but I charge them for it.

After running the numbers with all of the expenses and assuming I can charge more in rent on the renovated side, I have determined that it is a good deal and could even have positive cash flow after some more renovations are made to the other side after the tenants move out. 

Even though it prints out on a separate page, I don't charge extra for that.  

I personally don't charge an application fee, because of personal reasons...I screen and then let the selected tenant complete the criminal/credit/background check through an independent party that collects the fee.

The other 3/4ths of the property is an investment property and I'll bet they've been declaring rent and depreciating and writing off expenses on it for their period of ownership.