I agree that 1-4 unit properties are a different ballgame, but within my portfolio, I have a 4-unit property insured for $715K—the same amount as one of my single-family rentals.

I have had a long term interest in purchasing an investment property and I'm looking to be smarter about this.

Good property management I figure at 10%. 

Access to Cash Value: A properly structured permanent life insurance policy (like an IUL or whole life) can build cash value that you can borrow against for property acquisitions, renovations, or even as a safety net during market downturns. 2.

Focus on absentee owners and start with the ones who live the farthest away and only own one property in the area since they have the least use for the property.You can also drive for dollars, looking for anomalies of disrepair and then look them up in the tax records and use a site like Spokeo to do cheap skip tracing.

Is the process the same as buying property in Canada?

You could go into brokerage and sell properties, working your way up to brokering commercial properties. 

Most builders don't sell to investors.#3. 

I always am amazed when someone selling a $600,000 house brings me a listing agreement where they agreed to pay a stranger $30,000 to list their house for sale and they didn't even read the agreement much less spend the $250 to have a lawyer tell them that yes, if they sell it to their cousin during the listing period they still have to pay the $30k.

I get nervous about it but then have to let my rational brain work and say, I own an out-of-state property and I own another property in LA.