They love the idea of wealth, financial freedom, but don't want to put their own financials on the line.

@Robert BishopTo prepare for your first real estate investment, build a strong financial foundation with a credit score of 700+ and an emergency fund.

@Jacob HavlovickBigger Pockets is a great place to find a real estate tax accountant.A good real estate accountant can save you thousands of dollars by leveraging entity selection and formation, tax deductions, cost segregations, bonus depreciation and tax planning.I recommend finding an accountant who specializes in real estate taxation, business taxation, financial planning and tax planning.You may want to consider working with your accountant remotely to expand your options.I would also recommend looking for a accountant willing to work with you throughout the year.

Her mother is willing to (co-sign) and has excellent credit and debt to income ratio that will more than allow but I’m not sure the best way to structure this for the house to still be in our name?  

Though many investors bend the rules and possibly don't get caught, you have the financial situation to do it correctly.

@Kyle LipkoRecommend you first figure out the property Class you want to invest in, THEN figure out the corresponding location to invest in.Property Class will typically dictate the Class of tenant you get, which greatly IMPACTS rental income stability and property maintenance/damage by tenants.If you apply Class A assumptions to a Class B or C purchase, your expectations won’t be met and it may be a financial disaster.If you buy/renovate a property in Class D area to Class A standards, what quality of tenant will you get?

My occupancy rate is probably as good as anyone, and one thing I do is never have a high debt load then turn that around and award my tenants with rental rates they can't match elsewhere. 

Germany's resilience to global financial crises and its strong fiscal policies create a favorable environment for real estate investment.Moreover, interest rates in Germany remain at historically low levels, largely due to the European Central Bank's monetary policies.

Prioritize your financial stability.

My goal right now is show them a few different options and the financials.