@Steve Vaughan, thanks, but to clarify, the primary would be a purchase, jut like buying any primary residence from a stranger and making it an investment property.

No open house with strangers coming in.

Maybe you prefer your neighbor to be a stranger in a strange land, but the overwhelming majority don't see it that way. 

You shouldn't use seller financing with a complete stranger.

Sometimes people will state an objection to providing so much info before seeing a unit, but I explain that it is for my safety -- I'm meeting strangers often at vacant apartments, or in the case of an occupied unit, for my tenant's safety since they wouldn't want criminals going through their home.

With the number of honorable lenders attending real estate clubs now, there’s no reason to do anything out-of-state or online with strangers when you can meet honorable lenders face-to-face locally.Ignore all anonymous emails, phone calls, and BP solicitations.

Calling a stranger? 

Outside of that it's building relationships e.g. networking, reaching out to people, but you want to be careful that if you're accepting money from strangers that you're an adequate guardian of their money.

Many people buy a home with this same mindset, but find out they much prefer living alone than with a stranger. 

Thanks in advance,Josh-p.s. none are complete strangers. my outreach is pretty straightforward discussing my real estate goals and don't ask too much of them, but are just conversation starters.