You can sell part of the monthly payment (think $1000 monthly split in half). 

I've had clients pick up a half dozen homes without ever putting more than 5% or 10% down or selling any of them.

If you are going to get half the profit at the end of the deal what are you doing for your half?

Keep the 50% Rule in mind: about half of the rent will go toward non-mortgage expenses, when you average all expenses over time.

We have looked at all the areas which are between an hour to an hour and a half and the housing cost are insane.

The fact that you want to get started and take action is already half the battle and as a long time listener of the podcasts I'm sure you already have a good foundational understanding of the basics.

What if the policy is cancelled half way through? 

I think we raise rates here in Dec with the half basis as expected, get us to 4.25-4.5 Fed Funds.

Oftentimes, when one half of a couple is opposed to real estate investing, it really comes down to them viewing it as a cumbersome, risky distraction, rather than as a relatively stable, valuable tool to help reach your shared goals.

The easiest route for showing the property and running background checks would be to hire a property manager.