Right now he's doing his research and due diligence with my companies help but we are out of the area.If there are any pros in Colombia who would like to meet him for coffee and maybe give him some quick feedback on the deal he's looking at that would be awesome.  

My understanding is they would only pay capital gains tax on the appreciation of the property since they inherited it, but how is that decided?

Remember, understanding your local market, considering neighborhood preferences, and aligning your investment goals are key to making the right choice.

Some sellers understand this and some don't.

I think once you have a general idea of these topics you can start to understand how your income is being taxed and then develop a strategy to maximize your rental property. 

My understanding is DC is not worth doing.

Your investor-friendly real estate agent should be able to help you with understanding where comps are so that you have a target to work toward. 

- Does anyone have experience working with a cross-border CPA/tax specialist who understands these issues and can advise me on how to manage US tax compliance for my Kenya Airbnb properties?

From my understanding, you can subto the current mortgage and then the seller can create a seperate mortgage for you to put in the second position on the property…I could be mistaken but I believe that is what you mean

They can help you understand the market conditions better and get an idea of what rents may look like.