Not able to buy in this area without going house poor.

Yeah, I just did a loan for an investor in the North Tahoe area and the insurance was wild, a lot of that is only going to qualify for Cal FAIR unfortunately due to wildfire risk. 

Before you pay for inspections, estoppel, etc. go look at the property yourself.

If you haven't already, try going off market, driving around neighborhoods that would be of interest to you and finding ones that fall into your criteria (your agent should be able to help you as well).

So much can go wrong.

Going through a divorce and trying to decide whether to keep our rental properties or to sell them.

There is only a small fraction of transactions in the US go sub 2 Just like those that teach wholesaling there is only so much beat up houses to go around..

I have done quite a few different things, one of the best to find out who is doing the most volume is go onto good and search for the "we buy houses companies" in the area you are looking to invest.

@Jared Goldwasseri would strongly recommend you go to Cincinnati in person. 

That video will go over a complicated strategy to help you get a primary home without much of a down payment and with built in equity.