It seems impossible to not let them know your identity. 

Costa Rica for example is nearly impossible to get banks to lend so most buyers have to pay cash.  

Not impossible but tougher.

It is going to be almost impossible to find a property manager who cares about your property as much as you do, specially if you are just starting and don't have too many units with them, having said that I agree with @Robert Matelski, you defiantly need to have one specially when you are out of state investor. 2.

Unless you have connections into properties that will be foreclosed or sold cheap, it's almost impossible as a newbie to be ahead of the game. 2nd thing is that the market out here is insane.

Now it seems nearly impossible in most cities.

is it true that they make it nearly impossible to communicate with them directly, over the phone and require tedious amounts of seemingly irrelevant data? 

There are plenty that will tell you its impossible to do this and that while there are several people here doing it.

That being said, it's going to be very near to impossible to find an investment property that will just cashflow (where the tenants will pay for your mortgage and then some).

Hi @River Sava, I live in coastal southern California so it is near impossible to get something for under 800k any where near me at this point.