There isn't a true "best way", but you should explain your situation a little more (are you going to finance or buy with cash, do you plan on staying in the town long, etc) and you should probably get some pretty good answers from the folks around here!

I live in a college town, too.

I've also begun to explore flipping as well.

I just enjoy learning knew things so I've explored these options and the potential they hold.

At the closing, we will get the property 'assigned' to use and all paperwork will be done in the name of the LLC that is by that point funded with the newly rolled SDIRA's (3 in our case).Note, all 3 of us have a LONG and excellent business history in our small town and with this realtor, which is probably a large part of the reason they were not suspicious of this working.Dan Dietz

I have a guaranteed dependable renter of a mobile home with 1 acre of land in a small town in MS.

I selected a large subdivision just outside of town that was under a different fire protection class code, I got a letter from the city fire department saying the would service that subdivision and that allowed the underwritters to agree to lower the ratings allowing for a better premium.

I'm actually originally from the Twin Cities (well, up north of it a bit in a town called North Branch) but I couldn't handle the cold so I moved West!

In the process of building a direct mail campaign and I'm wondering if anyone has thoughts on whether it makes a difference in targeting absentee owners in a town which is more in a rural, family community versus a town closer to the city.

There are several ways to bird dog and it starts by talking to other investors in town.