I think they're probably paid part of the signup fee.

That leaves $400 to cover taxes, maintenance, vacancies, etc.Now, let's pretend ALL your expenses come to $2,600 and you have $400 left over.

I find condos/townhomes to be easier to manage out of state because the HOA handles a lot of the maintenance, just be aware of condo fees and find a place that is reasonable like $300-400/mo or less if you are lucky.

So if you buy a 5 bedroom house and rent the spare 4 bedrooms = you can still sell tax-free under the 121 (you just pay back depreciation) If you buy a duplex and rent 1/2 and live in 1/2.

@Rebecca GonaBigger Pockets is a great place to find a tax accountant that specializes in short-term rentals. 

It’s still relatively affordable compared to bigger cities, has strong rental demand, and no state income tax, which is always a plus.

As U.S. citizens residing in Europe, we are required by the local tax code to hold the property in our personal name.

Is it fair that the county can raise property taxes due to a strong market?

are they asking for up front fees? 

A lot of forum members are experts in their respective fields related to real estate investing, whether that is real estate sales, wholesaling, flipping, buy and hold investing, lending, self-directed IRA and Solo 401k investing, or tax and legal guidance.There are some pretty nice discounts on many products and services offered as Perks to BP members that you might want to check out: https://www.biggerpockets.com/perks/proIf you haven’t been to it already, the Bigger Pockets blog features links to their fantastic podcast and many great articles: https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/The site has quite a few tools that can be helpful for new members.