@Malcolm Brown it is great that you are thinking of the money to fund the deals you are going to get started with but understanding what a deal is, I think, should be the starting point. 

B) I don't have to give the contractor any money upfront for anything.3.

@Yooni Choi managing from out of state (OOS) with ZERO previous landlord experience - probably won't go well.You WILL make a lot of mistakes that will cost you money.

You can use seller financing, or you can use hard or private money.

If so make they have their earnest money held by the attorney and not the agents broker.

We own our house in Seattle and are trying to determine the best strategy for our move - what approach would net us the most money over the next 1-3 years.

Neither of those pencil out.I think you'd be wise to save the money and find your own leads.

When my business partner and I were still flipping we bought a couple through Auction.com and we always used a private money lender to fund those and our other flips. 

I tried it in an apartment complex and it was an absolute dumpster fire and lost a lot of money.

@Duarte Marques you haven't shared how much money you have access to for a purchase?