Are there specific factors you look for in an area to make sure it’s a good fit for this type of rental setup?

What do you want your ideal life to look life?

Exceptions include delays caused by factors outside the Subcontractor’s control (e.g., weather, material delays).5.

A lot of the success stories and content we’ve seen in the past came from a very different rate environment, so I’m definitely factoring that into my approach.For now, I’m planning to focus on the Jackson County/MO area, specifically around Lee’s Summit where I have some local support from family.

Just factor in a little time and effort to get everything squared away, and you should be fine!

I'm European, spent most of my life in Europe and have owned property in several European countries and I can tell you categorically that it doesn't not reflect the situation in most European markets and, by the way, Chris rightfully never suggested that it does.Of course, if Americans want to reap the benefits of investing in Europe, they'd ideally need to, as you suggest, get the right market knowledge, understand the local financing and housing laws and I'd add to this the legal system.

There are many factors, as with any real estate market:(1) Location. 

Treat this property as a business and factor in all the associated expenses, including mortgage payments (if you pull a loan), maintenance, and potential vacancy periods.To simplify management and make this less of a hands-on job, I’d strongly recommend working with a property management company.

Ideally, these would be vacant and abandoned properties that have not been sold in the past 5+ years.

As far as credit, you would want a score above 680 ideally to get the highest loan to value on a cash out refinance, but I would aim higher at 720+ as that comes with a significant rate drop.