@James Wise definitely true.. tough situation for sure

So one of my questions is would it be wise for me to try to contact the current home owner to see if they would be interested in selling the home before it went to foreclosure or at least see if they would be willing to give me any additional details about the home such as what banks holds the mortgage or if they are multiple liens on the home.

Quote from @James Wise: Quote from @James McGovern: Has anyone figured out a cheaper alternative to Cash for Keys.

In Columbia, finding a small multi-family property that makes sense numbers-wise can be difficult, but not impossible (low supply).

Quote from @James Wise: Quote from @Bernard Kelly: Hi BP, I'm looking at a few off-Market deals in Cleveland OH, this will be a new market for me.

If you are trying to save money this is penny wise but pound foolish.

Entity structure wise, I'm getting conflicting opinions from lawyers/tax advisors on which scenario gives me the best separation between properties and asset protection from rental activities:1.

But I think he meant you may have been being "penny wise and pound foolish".  

I think if newer investors want to learn the ropes of Property Management it would be wise to try and self manage their first few units. 

To navigate these complexities and ensure you’re optimizing your tax strategy, it would be wise to consult a tax professional who specializes in international taxation and U.S. real estate.