While some lender will allow statements from other countries and will convert to USD, the path of least resistance here is to have your funds already in the US and create a US based entity to vest on title. 

Non-payment of rent is always the path of least resistance to get someone out in a somewhat timely manner.

There were some things that some of his crew had done wrong—the kind of things that you list in walk-throughs, like paint spatter.

Little paint and the contractor I found let me buy the material and only charged me labor.

With a dozen properties over 25 years I have yet to spend a dollar on a roof or painting a house exterior.

It's people like you who cause folks who would actually benefit from an ESA to be painted with the same broad scammer brush. 

I never paint, swap rugs (except flooding), or do other improvements on rent controlled units This can lead to blight.Who benefits from rent control?

You just have to deal with lead base paint inspections and random rental inspections now though.

I installed cabinets, painted it, and made it back into a residential rental unit.

Paint & finished basement What was the outcome?