Someone who has suffered through the crash and still investing today should be pretty smart and conservative enough.I can refer you an expat - he is a US citizen working in Bangkok (used to work in HK as a finance executive) - and he will tell you how he was able to build a sizable portfolio of properties in the US even while living abroad.

There is some pain and suffering associated with self-management, but no more valuable learning experience. 

These are just generalized concepts, if you spend too much your returns may suffer.

All that win-win stuff is just guru nonsense to make newbies feel better about taking the equity from someone who is suffering.

Do not compromise on this or you will suffer painful consequences.

Let's look at the big picture:  2010 was 2 years after the financial meltdown our country suffered. 

So it may need substantial capital or suffer larger than average repair costs. 

So while it pays to be choosy, you are never going to make any money in real estate if you never get involved, i.e. if you never purchase something.Leaning on my stock, options and futures trading experience, these sorts of investors are akin to those in that world suffering from analysis paralysis.

Like Account Closed said, don't allow your military career to suffer because of it.  

Let us say for the sake of argument that the owners had no fire insurance and they are suffering a total loss of their residence.