@Tammy Elias tenants are always looking to scam the system:(You'll need to start the eviction process and let the judge tell her she's wrong.

Once you’ve built some confidence and systems, you can start exploring additional markets.I personally focus on 2 markets that are about 20 mile radius.Make sure the market(s) you choose align with your investing goals, whether that’s cash flow, appreciation, or both.

This is not yoursituation, but just to walk through the different thought processesin Holding/Selling that a friend of mine is going through.Helped my friend getinto the Self Storage business and walked him through the wholeprocess from evaluating the market, selecting a site, developing thesite, systems, financing, insurance, etc.

Not sure about sonoma county but in Marin county they have a new lottery system.

Legal and Language BarriersWhile Germany has a transparent legal process, navigating the local real estate market can be challenging for American investors who are not familiar with German legal and tax systems.

I would like to know more about ways to use OPM  The only way to determine if the home is going to cost you a lot down the road is by determining the age of the mechanical systems & if the structure of the home is sound. 

Typical renovations include:Cosmetic Updates: Painting, flooring, kitchen and bathroom upgrades, and landscaping.Structural Repairs: Fixing any underlying issues such as foundation repairs, plumbing, or electrical updates.Efficiency Improvements: Adding energy-efficient windows, new HVAC systems, and better insulation to increase the property's overall value.The goal of the rehab phase is to increase the property’s market value while making it an attractive place for tenants.

However, components of a central HVAC system in a residential building, including furnaces and condensers, are NOT eligible for this treatment and must be slowly depreciated over 27.5 years (39 years for STRs).

The systems makes this easy for you to do.

An Excel file or other detailed record-keeping system would okay, as long as it accurately tracks your hours spent on real estate activities.