I wouldn't start investing in the US if you have no plans on coming back from living in China.

We are starting the process of analyzing deals, making a plan and executing on it. 

There is virtually no reason to keep “cash” on hand for repairs. 

Germantown has better cash flow potential but may require more hands-on management.

The time has come for me to start investing in real estate and before doing so i'm looking to build a strong and dedicated team of partners: agents, lenders, contractors and property managers mainly in the Cleveland area (but also open to markets within a 2-3 hr drive away) that already possess an excellent track record in their line of work and that value long term collaboration.

@Ogonna Odo A small number of my contractors have started accepting credit cards.

Ultimately I agree that responsiveness is very much appreciated, but you won't really know that until you start working together with the agent.

Start small with strategies like house hacking, leveraging your hands-on skills for value-add properties, and building a strong team or network to reduce risks.

To add on to what everyone else mentioned, do an end of the lease inspection before they start moving out.

It's no guarantee but it's a good place to start.