I am going in with my eyes open and we shall see - I am a cynic like you, but plan for the worst is my way of viewing the investments

But I figure if many Canadians are going cross border then I will keep my eyes in CAN.

I’ve been eyeing a few off-market deals that would allow me to pull out a good amount of equity after rehab, but then the monthly mortgage payment is the same as market rent.

Keep an eye on what’s up for sale, what’s being sold, and rent patterns, and tweak your plans as needed.

But once in a while, when the BS gets too thick and my eyes start to water from the stench, things need to be aired out and I will disclose these things in private in this discussion to someone who questions that I am who I say I am, or whom I think is not being fully truthful. 

There are different ways of hiding your properties in trusts and whatnot to make it harder to get sued, but that is something you should think about when wanting to pay off the properties in full rather than just buying more properties while using leverage.So to protect yourself using more debt and trusts (insurance can also help mitigate that risk) is a lot more work to keep an eye on everything.

After establishing this, the next most important aspect of this land would be its zoning and restrictive covenants.

Do an inspection every 1-2 weeks to keep an eye on things.

We have property managers and don't run the small business, so my workload is minimal.Of course I keep an eye on the market, but finding anything for a guy like me would be way too much work. 

While they look great, in reality, dust & dirt settles into every crack and crevice, so its right in front of your eye.