I've run the numbers on homes in our price range within a 3hr drive radius of our zip and they just don't make sense as rental units.I'm fluent in Spanish so other than the financing problem maintaining a rental in Costa Rica vs another market in the USA that requires a flight is fairly comparable from my perspective.Its funny because buying a sub 70k house anywhere in the US would be so easy for us.

It seems that properties in the area can range on average from 50k-75k.

The population has been growing here year over year over the last decade, it is home to The Ohio State University which has over 50,000 students that live here along with those that visit, and it also holds a diverse range of young professionals and traveling nurses to fill the demand of the multiple business corporations and hospitals stationed here.

One piece of advice I would recommend if you want to go FHA is getting to understand the self sufficiency test for 3 and 4 unit buildings. https://www.newcastle.loans/mortgage-guide/fha-self-sufficie... 

I’ve frequently been driving for dollars scoping out this size range.

So you and/or your partner will need to have an unlimited residency permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis).From what i can tell of the residential property market, the cap rates are very low (3% range) and the rental income doesn't cover the mortgage costs often times.

Here are a few options you might consider:Home Equity Loan or HELOC: If you own another property with sufficient equity, you might be able to take out a home equity loan or a home equity line of credit (HELOC) to cover the $140K.

DSCR rates are currently in the 7.5% - 9.5% range right now.

Malarkey 30-Year Dimensional Shingles.I have gotten estimates ranging from $5,500 - $7,500, which all seem like total rip-offs to me given the small size of the house.What do you think?

So, obtain sufficient insurance if you don't have an LLC.