It’s a solid strategy if you stay prepared for unexpected costs and keep some reserves on hand.

I think they contain solid information and will help lay a good foundation as a beginner (Haha, I'm completely new to real estate as well, btw)I'm also going to be reading the following books, and hopefully I can finish all by the end of this month:1) The ABCs of Property Management2) The Advanced Guide to Real Estate Investing3) Long-Distance Real Estate Investing How to Buy, Rehab, and Manage Out-of-State Rental Properties (this might be the most important one to me personally)4) The Book on Investing in Real Estate with No (and Low) Money DownIn addition to reading, I'm consuming crazy amounts of youtube videos, and I'recommend you do this as well.

Last year we began testing different places by staying in Carrillo and Junquillal with day trips to a lot of other nearby beaches. 

If you are going to get your license in Virginia I would plan to stay there for a decent bit(5+ years).

Closing costs typically range from 2 to 5 percent of the total loan amount, and they include fees for the appraisal, title insurance and origination and underwriting of the loan.”When it comes to closing costs, a trusted lender can guide you through specifics and answer any questions you may have.

It was a good learning experience, but it made me realize that staying away from major rehabs (for now) might be the best move until I have a more reliable system in place.That said, having family in the area like your sister and brother-in-law is a huge advantage!

I would provide the capital and otherwise stay passive, but hopefully grab better profits than private lending?

Since the original mortgage stays in place, you only need to ensure the reinvestment equals or exceeds the proceeds.

We have told my ex-wife that we are willing to let her stay in the house for a time but she needs to pay rent.

For BRRRR i would stay away from New Western.