I then want to find away to house hack and start building a portfolio of rental properties.

An LLC can provide a layer of protection by separating your personal assets from your rental business.

Would also love to learn about flips and short term rentals. 

If the cosmetics thing continues to be an issue when we tour properties together, I am considering buying a 'rental-rehab BRRR' house (like the one I mentioned at the top of this post) using my above criteria with my independent investment money, fixing it by the time our lease is up in August, leasing half of it, and trying to convince him to move into it instead of re-renting the condo for $1500/mo.

Especially around that campus there was a lot of homes that needed love and would be great to hold as a long term rental.

Should I consider lowering the rent price further, renting to these concerning candidates, or pivoting to a short-term or mid-term rental strategy (considering I live out of state)?

There is rental demand in almost every city and town in WNY.  

The next day I get a text, that a “family member” just happened to stop by and noticed “new temporary” visitors in the bottom apartment and there are new laws in the city starting June 1st for short term rentals.

I have purchased OOS rental properties but always used an agent.

I can help you explore refinancing options in the future to lower your interest rate, especially if market conditions improve.Living in the property for 18 months while renting a room can help you offset mortgage payments and reduce living expenses.This strategy also gives you time to understand the local rental market and plan for full rental income after you move out.Fixed-Rate vs.