@Nicholas A. your shotgun approach has a high probability of getting the exact quality you put into it.95%+ of real estate agent, many of them posting they are "investor-friendly", only know how to deal with owner-occupied transactions. 

A warranty can bring peace of mind, especially if the tenant values quality and reliability.Here’s our rule of thumb:For budget-friendly rehabs: Used appliances from a reputable source can be a smart choice.

Having the contractor relationship in place to move quickly and provide a high quality renovation at a reasonable price.

This is primarily what makes their work product substantially lacking in correct English grammar, legal protections, timely professionalism and many other ways any Securities Attorney will point out to investors.

These loan products include a partial release feature that allows them to be repaid gradually as TIC interests are sold, and ensure that the sold TIC units are not encumbered by a blanket encumbrance.- The variety of financing products available as individual tenant in common loans remains limited, and the terms are generally less favorable than either apartment building loans or condominium loans.

Some people will say, "Take out a quality Insurance Policy and you will be protected."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Recommend you first figure out the property Class you want to invest in, THEN figure out the corresponding location to invest in.Property Class will typically dictate the Class of tenant you get, which greatly IMPACTS rental income stability and property maintenance/damage by tenants.If you apply Class A assumptions to a Class B or C purchase, your expectations won’t be met and it may be a financial disaster.If you buy/renovate a property in Class D area to Class A standards, what quality of tenant will you get?

So far, the FOA is covered by the fruit production. 

Even still, it could be said that I've still lost money due to my time on the tools instead of prospecting as a real estate agent (the cost of lost opportunity).If you can truly do 80%-90% of the work yourself (at acceptable quality levels) and you aren't sacrificing your time where you can get better returns for your efforts, then yes, it can work even up here in Canada.

I guess I could do some work-arounds -- maybe reserve one unit in the first purchase for use as an AirBnb, and reserve my own time in it when needed - instead of claiming it as a primary.Are either of you (or anyone) familiar with a finance product/loan that will allow me to purchase under $150,000 (w/ strong credit) and do much of my own work and live-in a portion as a primary residence?