You can always just "play the lottery" and see if you get anything matched to your home. 

There will be times where you have cash flow in your appreciation play.  

If you day-trade or read the tea leaves for hot stock tips or play the ponies or simply put your money in index funds, do any of these things occupy your interest like real estate?

Watch some YouTube videos and role play with someone on the common objections (price, how assignment works, etc).

This forced appreciation with a heavy value-add should be great with a long term buy & hold play.2) Cash out refi & purchase a vacation home via a 2nd home loan. 

Local laws definitely come into play as well

I'm playing the same game - Roth SDIRA, although I'll prob start purchasing through an entity as well in the near future.

You can play with pricing to see how it affects demand, so you have a better idea of the quality of prospects and how many you get at different price points.You could also then modify your ad to identify a target MoveIn date and start accepting & processing applications.

While I am not a fan of log homes or all wood interiors, that style still plays well here in the rental market. 

Take advantage of every service as well as play golf.