So I'm also willing to look for a place where young professionals want to rent (less school district focus, and more walk-ability, character, location for work, etc).If anyone has any recommendations for locations, please chime in! 

You meet with those  professionals so that you are aware of the strategy of the type of entity you want to be  for tax reasons as well as other issues.  

I would love to hear some input from some professionals or links to some helpful references.Thanks,Alex

I have enjoyed their level of professionalism, due diligence, and proactive steady approach.  

Mind you my partner and I are by no means big time players but we held ourselves professionally, did our due diligence and assured the agent that this was going to close quick on our end.

She doesn't know about this house because it is a private seller that's not advertising.

I am reaching out because I am looking for further knowledge on borrowing money from private and hard money lenders so I am hoping someone can answer my questions.When it comes to private money or hard money for an apartment or commercial building, multi family or even single family, what is the process you take in acquiring the money to close a deal?

It is my understanding that if you go 5 units or more you will need a Comercial loan and Comercial loans look at the property value and the revenue it generates and not so much credit score or DTI...so look for properties that are 5 units or more.Or do BRRR (Buy, rent, rehab, refinance) using a private loan (mom and dad or invester) or hard money loan.I hope this helps a bit.Good luck!

Secondly when using a Self Directed IRA, can the person privately invest. 

Michael Conway I represent several large hedge funds and many private investors that spend under 50,000 in Memphis and we have ROI's in the mid-teens every year and I can show you actual results.I'm a fan of that exact price range for several reasons!