hi you wrote " Seems like a lease option might be my only way to avoid renting a place" i dont understand that or what is ideal for you...but lease with option to purchase is renting the place....heres where i am on this as landlord in jax, licensed, investor, etc...You-tubers, teachers, out of staters seem to love em. i was hooked too, I love the idea of non-refundable option deposit and outsourcing the rental fix-ups to tenants who might or might not purchase it. i love the idea. 

I am going to start purchasing rentals, hopefully using the BRRRR method, but for my wife’s sanity am going to continue to aggressively pay down current debt (primary home plus large student loan debt).

I am thinking in the line of small one bedroom apartments which can be bought under the selling price, fixing them up and renting them to students.

The only students I've ever rented to were an engaged couple approaching graduation.

I've been investing in Waco for 5 years now specifically in student rentals.

Your input really put my idea into perspective for an eager college student like me.  

I am a Nursing student at JHU and chose to purchase this place to live in w/ roommates & hold onto after I'm done.

I was hoping if there were any investors in the local area, or just investors doing student rentals, and attornies who know what to put on the lease agreement.

However, as much as I would like to be able to analyze AND purchase properties on my own, I don't have the cash to invest yet (and as a teacher, it might take me a while...). 

My parents say I should back out, take the loss for appraisal and inspection, and put my savings towards the remaining balance on my student loans.