There are rent control buildings that have hit the market and they sit for a really long time because either the seller doesnt want to the reduce the price enough to cover the cost of eviction (usually $30k per unit) or buyers want the property delivered vacant which drags out the RE transaction process. 

You need to buy the house, rehab if necessary, and rent it out before the fall semester to reduce your holding costs.I have had students, but not during the school year.

Maybe even offer them cash for keys to just be able to reduce your personal stress. 

Single family houses are neither, their value directly ties to the current state of the real estate market and future appreciation is based off of speculation.When looking at passively investing in larger commercial (apartment buildings that are 5+ units), the value is based on an equation -- (net operating income)/ (cap rate).To walk through an example: Say there is a 100 unit property that has a delta between current and market rents of $150/unit/month and there is an additional $50/unit/month of operational expenses that can be reduced, this would net out to a $200 net operating income difference/unit/month. $200 per month * 12 months = $2,400 per year * 100 units = $240,000 per year of net operating income uplift.

Investing with turnkey providers can be valuable since it reduces the risks involved with REI.

LO's close your eyes for this next part -- i do know of a broker that would refund you like this post-closing. its because they're trying to soften the blow by at least making the cost go away, but in order to do it the right way (flipping to borrower-paid compensation and reducing their fee) it creates a logistical nightmare for compliance purposes. much easier to just cut you a check post-close, but it is a big no-no. sorry you're dealing with this. i would confirm on the locked LE/ Lock con about the pricing from your lock. if its in writing they should absolutely honor it. if not, your best option is likely to close anyway and then you can write them a really nasty review. people would love to know about 'bait and switch' tactics.best of luck!

I do like the idea of reducing the risk of party damage but does the potential damage outweigh the vacancy?  

Reduce services and/or combination of both.

Maybe offer your buyer a reduced finders fee up front and let him complete the deal directly with your seller. 

Everything in this situation went smoothly and I believe that having them sign the lease in advance reduces the possibility of a cancellation because the tenants have signed a legal agreement.