You can put a mortgage into a "trust: without triggering a due on sale but again contacting your bank/lender is the best route to avoid any issues.Some banks/lenders or servicing companies change guidelines and even a trust may require other paperwork but the attorney usually facilitates that to be safe.  

Foreign nationals have the same rights to purchase real estate as German citizens, making it easy for Americans to invest in the German market without additional legal barriers.Furthermore, Germany has a transparent legal process for buying property, ensuring clarity and security throughout the transaction.

@Brenden Stadelman I would talk to seasoned investors that you trust and see who they have had success with.

Just plan for reserves if it takes a year or two to break even.Take your time, do the research, and trust the process.

Question 3: Is there a better way to protect property besides an LLC, such as a trust of some kind? 

I'm lucky to have a motivated client/investor that wants to work with me, and I feel a tremendous amount of responsibility to take care of that trust and investment.

If we include investments in mortgage loans (trust deeds), real estate partnerships, REITs as well as direct property ownership, I’m at about 80%.  

Compare that to national competitors Vacasa or Evolve for example. 

I want to be able to find potential markets/listings nationally based on the return.

You just have to keep moving forward and trust that it will all make sense eventually.