For investments that are relatively static and singular in nature - shares of a private placement for example - the services of a self-directed IRA custodian can be sufficient. 

3. is listing agent's declaration of service to tenant alone be sufficient evidence to win an eviction trial?

There are no rules that a borrower gets a loan mod for the asking...or that all borrowers are eligible for a loan mod but, if a lender offers a loan mod as an option, and IF a borrower IS eligible, there are rules that prohibit the lender from not offering one.For a loan modification to be considered, there needs to be documentable income sufficient to service the debt at a subsidized rate/term.

Probably something around 150-200 sq ft would be sufficient. 

"In one private letter ruling (PLR 8429039), the IRS stated that a minimum holding period of two years would be sufficient.

This was determined to be not sufficient to carry out the demands levied against the service so the USMC numbers have been growing over the past few years and thought it appears to change yearly, the actual authorized manning numbers are approved and projected forward several years so any short term war/crisis will have to be handled with current manning and reserves.

Unfortunately the vast majority of landlords do not screen very well and rarely understand human nature.

Additionally probably the vast majority wanting to get into investing never do and a large number of those that will try ultimately fail.

We also charge 20% of gross but I like to be on the lesser side so that the owner makes more and we also strive to get the highest nightly rate that we can for our owners and optimize their properties for max ROI so 20% is sufficient for us at this point.

Once the property value increases sufficiently you either refinance or sell.