The reason sellers cannot sell these properties through the traditional market is often due to certain issues, and 98% of the time, these issues are not beneficial to you as a buyer.

Now on to the hunt for the next one.

@Felicia Richardson just a note for the future. 

I like the idea of being involved with and affecting the world. 

We recently put the house under an LLC but are not sure if the lease should reflect the LLC as the landlord or keep our names.

In my case I sold off appreciated properties in a location I deemed as having limited future upside, and used the proceeds to eliminate all debt on the better located prime properties I wanted to keep long term.

That should be your focus, not how to purchase the land.  

Mind you, with mortgage interest rates in the US being so much higher now (and seemingly for the foreseeable future), I wouldn't be surprised if LTRs in Europe would cash flow better than in the whole US nowadays (to be verified).This being said, I don't and would never invest in LT rentals outside of North America  as I wouldn't want to face unfavourable landlord/tenant laws as a foreigner.

I am looking for the basics.  

But what are the drawbacks?