We opted to rent, which resulted in better accommodations cheaper, and used excess funds plus rents from the rental of our US primary to acquire more US rentals.

Gift is property given without the requirement for it to be paid back.One can be gifted $15,000 in cash without the requirement of a gift-tax return.Gifts in excess of $15,000 require a gift tax return.Loans is property given with the requirement for it to be paid back.Loans require interest to be paid along with the principal.The IRS may put an imputed interest if there is no interest in the loan.3.

My objective is to build a nest egg that I won't touch for 20 years or so, and I have a pretty small appetite for risk in this portfolio. 

So they're being excessively conservative, in my opinion.As long as your CPA agrees with my position (does not matter which spouse or both own the property) and is willing to defend it before the IRS - you're good. 

Use excess funds for HML.

I have used refinance by choice in recent times (fixed rate versus variable rate but typically the refinance loan has a higher cost) but maybe 5 years ago I looked for institutes that would provide an ELOC on non-owner occupied RE and I found a few but in excess of 90% did not offer the ELOC on non-owner occupied RE. 

Lastly, if you do find even minimal cash flow in Auckland, do you have appetite to invest here for the cash flow & appreciation, or would you still go for cash flow properties in TN? 

I would start looking today, deals don't often pop up for your first time so if you think you'll be ready in Jan then chances are it'll take a few months after to actually get a deal.And finally something I did a little but not too excessively: reverse engineer. 

My guess is that you can find an Excess (aka Surplus) lines carrier for the Vacant building and the Liability.  

I did a final walk through inspection today and the place smells excessively!