I see people purchasing new STR's here and others dumping their properties or converting into LTR's. 

People even do this in Vancouver though it must be extremely challenging.  

Quote from @Morgan Leiviska: How I would build this database for you would be to connect with people at local meetups that you find.

People always say there's no value but that's not for you to determine.

.#2  MINDSET:  Just like some people will NEVER become real estate investors regardless of time, money, related profession, - MOST people will never become real estate investors.   

Things just require more ongoing expenses percentage wise out of state because you have to pay people to do everything for you and you will have a longer time building relationships with vendors even when getting decent referrals. 

That shows real estate can be possible for anyone; in my opinion, I know everyone has unique and challenging situations, but in principle, anyone who can follow some basic budget fundamentals can save up enough for a down payment.Grateful BiggerPockets continues to bring more people into the industry!

Quote from @Christopher Johnson: @Scott Trench - FALSE - DECEPTIVE POST - It's sad people resort to this online bullying, invasion of privacy, attacking our staff, and clearly attempts to blackmail us for $. 

I know many people who own real estate that are not citizens of the US.

Take people's advice and also dont take people's advice, make a decision that best fits your situation.