The fact that these people know you and what you are planning to do with the money often means they perceive less risk than if they were to do the same loan with a stranger, lowering the return they would require.

In today's day in age if you can do something like that online with strangers and eliminate the risk factors that would be incredible. 

Don't take legal advice about contracts from strangers on an internet forum.Long and short: Make your P.S. your main post; that's what you're after here.Cheers!

The fact that you’re on the fence to the point that you’re asking strangers (albeit knowledgeable strangers) for their opinion tells me you might sleep better at night just getting the inspection.

As if anyone would do that for a stranger based on their word that they will hire you if they get the property.

Dogs bark they stink up the apartments they rip stuff up when the owner leaves for work ( think of the other tenants) they get fleas and tics they  snap at strangers and sometimes kids they leave poop everywhere and all these issues compound when other families live in the same building and use the same small yard .

I recommend not being a stranger to the forums, there is a wealth of information in them!

If you want to be succesful you really need to make actual disicions and you need to justify those decisions.If you make a dicision based on a huntch, because you think that is the way it should be done, or becaiuse some  person on BP swears by it, you are putting your success in the hands in a STRANGER that may or may not know a damn thing about what it means to be succesful, and even if they ARE succesful, they are not you, and not in your situation, you don't have their strengths, mindset, or skills.Following others is plain and simply stupid, without actual analysis, evaluation and proper decision making.So let me ask you this.Have you done your cost/deal calculations yet?

I find it ironic to read people saying that it isn't safe for landlords to show rentals to strangers in person but there is no risk to your rental by letting them see it without you being there in person.

One thing I have had to learn that strangers know the Internet allows them a vehicle to make emotional sales and there is no law to worry about and many crooks do that.