At least in terms of rent, college students are paying 1100 - 1600 to rent by the room.

It’s also helpful to pay attention to the public records of similarly constructed housing in Miami.

I am thinking of a system where my investor-based agent gives me a ball park, and after that I pay contractors to go in and give me itemized bids, what do you think about that?

You can get a credit union to do a drive by appraisal for a HELOC and the brokers can tell you prior what it will appraise for and you probably dont have to pay for the appraisal. 

I'm sure you will gain some interest from potential investors then maybe they can supply you with the down payments and you can pay them back over time and you could buy more per year.From what I know, business is a slow game and from what I hear, successful Real Estate Investing can be boring.

As for selling with 10% down at 8% interest, you now have two title transfers that violate the due on sale clause and add complications to subject to “safeguards” that reduce risk if note is accelerated, if party in possession doesn’t pay taxes or insurance, and of triggering whatever system the lender has set up to notify them when a deed transfer takes place. 

Check in with @Joseph Chiofalo for investor focused lending.

I am focusing on trying to create systems for the future (templates of paper work, agreements ect.) 

A trust may offer some of the same benefits as an LLC, depending on your goals, and allowing you to claim the part of the house you live in as homesteaded tax.Make sure you have the right home insurance and consider an umbrella policy for extra protection.Certainly buying a house, using conventional financing with limited money down as a primary residence and renting out parts of the house to help pay the mortgage, is a smart financial move.

@Tonia EdgestonIf it’s non owner occupied you could get a hard money loan to pay back taxes and repairs but these are short term (typically 6-12 months) then you would need to refinance the propertyYou mention this is also in probate - depending also on other debts etc it all may be for not and you may need to sell to pay off other creditors.