David Greene wrote "Long Distance Real Estate Investing" which gives you a great tutorial, but I suggest looking at deals in the Midwest or the Southeast to allow your portfolio to get a good base of cash flow, and then once you are ready for some more appreciation focused deals, you can change your target markets.

And the middle man well they usually have their dough and no personal liablity and could give two craps if it works or not.. thats reality on many of these and how its going to play out.This all works for the very well capitalized company that can handle these things.. and I am not sure in Texas if on the wrap you use an all inclusive Deed of Trust like I used in CA.. thats a great deed of trust it does give the wrap seller standing to start a foreclosure on their own while still making the payments.. it also precludes the slimy sub to buyer that may just take the wrap buyers payments and default to their seller I have seen this happen many many times and bailed out more than 10 of these.  

Get Google analytics on your website (tons of tutorials online) so you can analyze your traffic and attract the right avatar.More pointers available if you like. 

If you just send the standard "will buy your house for cash" postcards, or do generic bandit signs, or canned PPC internet leads, you will waste all of your time on crap "leads" that aren't real.

If you ever want to invest in MI let me know - I get nothing for it but I do run the Michigan Real Estate Investors group and connect with you with legit people and areas - I tend to hear the dirt and good stuff on investors, areas, Pms, contractors, etc..... feel free to reach out if you end up wanting to know more about Detroit or Pontiac/ etc investing  100% agreed.A good/bad property manger can make or break a good/bad property.I know of many folks making bank with crap properties in crap areas.Why?

Because they've spent the last three years telling everyone who will listen out in California and online how wonderful it is investing long distance in crap properties in Ohio.

If you are an experienced investor with good credit and if you are looking at a good deal, you do not need any of this crap!

After coming home around midnight, my apartment deadbolt decided to crap the bed.

Nice one mate,After man years in the business, I can comfortably say that no matter how good a deal or area is.Property management will make or break an investment.Even crap properties in crap areas, if PM is top notch.They can make the numbers work

Guys just think about what he is pitching for crying out loud.He craps on ANYTHING and EVERYTHING that gets you "off market leads", and then says: "see everyone is competing for off-market deals, so it is wrong". ..