Originally posted by @Taylor McClure:I was talking to a man a week or so ago, and he said that his friend used to buy properties that were a few days prior to foreclosure.

That’s a serious swing, and I’ve seen something a bit like this before with a friend of mine who tackled a teardown project in a quieter part of Austin.

You have to work with a team that is investor-friendly and has experience working with out-of-country investors like yourself.

He seemed legitimate at first, and I even had a few friends look over the materials he provided.

I rented out the additional bedrooms to friends and family, charging them well below market, and sold when it was time for my wife and I to start our own adventures.

I got the property off-market for $250k from a trusted family friend.

High taxes, a declining population, and an environment that is less than friendly to businesses are important factors to consider.

Since you are an investor friendly agent that drives for dollars, I would invite you to try out the AI which looks at google images and satellite images to tell you if the property is distressed.

If anything, have a small sign in front of the house that says who the builder is and phone number (that's common for contractors to do, and also so that neighbors feel they have some to call if there is dust blowing from the site or whatever), and then you may have people calling you asking about availability (people always want something more that they had to chase and can tell their friends the story of how they got the house). 

I do know one of the people who works for me has a 2 year work permit (temporary) and she and her husband were able to buy a place in Alberta.BC and ON are very tenant friendly.