Quote from @Marcus Ball: After struggling with local rehab properties in California, I switched to build-to-rent developers and chose a 1031 exchange.

Being a part of the local REIAs in both towns can help you understand more of what is going on.  

One of the key challenges I’m facing is understanding the financing options available to someone without Canadian residency or a local credit history.From my research, it seems that a 35% down payment is often required, with interest rates around 7.5-8.5% for non-residents.

For starters, I recommend to begin with a single family home or if you are looking to start locally, do house hacking. 

Even tried craigslist and local paper once.

I really want to do local meetups and interact with more advanced investors but don’t know where to start.

Tahoe isn't ideal right now as the local community is vehemently anti-Airbnb and the permitting system is challenging to navigate.

I’m also an active member of the local landlord association in Joliet (JRLA), which has been a great resource for networking and education.

Have a picture of your family actually installing a big fancy door.And of course, I assume that you are licensed/bonded/imsured as required by your local laws?

With all the negative comments and concerns over the houses not being completed per the contract dates, perhaps all the investors should speak to a local real estate attorney and see if they can get their money back or other concessions.