Re-read my second paragraph above, the same metaphor works here too. 

I think he stole... appropriated my Domino's metaphor & $5K rule though.

He described Scott Hatteberg's approach to hitting in "Moneyball" and how Hatteberg showed discipline at the plate, only swinging at pitches he knew he could hit well.I took this as a metaphor for RE investing. 

This is a metaphoric story for how i feel.

Ultimately, I want a lot of small tributaries feeding a large river... and, in that metaphor, those small tributaries are rental properties.

Thanks for the hunting and fishing metaphor.

That is, to use a different metaphor, if you're throwing whole kettles of spaghetti at the wall trying to make something stick, you may need to select a more effective strategy.I wouldn't judge "massive" by volume rather by how much research is done prior to making ANY offers - so you're making the right offers on the right properties.There's a parallel in direct marketing: an untargeted mailing typically produces less than a 1% response rate.

Sometimes it's easier to get rid of herp*s than to sell a house in Spain (sorry for the metaphor).It should also be borne in mind that buy to let business in EU is on the decline, unless you are prepared to invest in Russian South, which is, perhaps, the safest and fastest growing location in Europe :-)Finally, look for a reliable international property broker (online auction platform).

The 1031 portion of your strategy is certainly important but don't let it drive the train or muddy the waters ( sorry, I had to mix the metaphors :)  The 1031 is about tax saving which is a different animal from what you're really asking. 

I’m not opposed to any ideas just trying to pump myself full of knowledge before I pull the metaphorical trigger.