Before you make any big life decisions maybe take a leave of absence from work for 2 or 3 months and recharge your batteries. 

What makes a self-directed IRA custodian different is that they are not purely connected to the public exchanges and limited to investing in stocks, bonds and funds, but rather have the staff training and paperwork to document the IRA's investment in the more individualized transactions that occur when investing in real estate, notes and other non-traditional assets.

Establish what their responsibility is: ie. smoke detector batteries, light bulbs, flipping breakers, etc.

KC just nabbed a 4,000 job Panasonic battery plan in the metro that will be built in coming years.

It won't if you're buying pure rentals because you'll need to put at least 20% down.Be leery of gurus with big price tags for "education" and "mentoring".

Since I live abroad outside the US, I'm planning on starting off by buying a single family home in the Kansas City, MO market with the goal of pure cash flow in the 100k-150k price range after rehab, using a turnkey provider for the acquisition and ongoing property management given that I have a full time job and the logistical challenges in orchestrating all the steps from abroad in buying a property. 

Since I live abroad outside the US, I'm planning on starting off by buying a single family home in the Kansas City, MO market with the goal of pure cash flow in the 100k-150k price range after rehab, using a turnkey provider for the acquisition and ongoing property management given that I have a full time job and the logistical challenges in orchestrating all the steps from abroad in buying a property. 

Is it purely population based?

Quote from @John Hernandez:  If both sides consider it a “deal” then fine, that is capitalism at its best.this is the very definition of a marketplace. now - if the 'willing' seller is misinformed, disordered or ignorant, and/or the 'able' buyer is misleading, fraudulent or abusive... then the definition is on a slippery slope.these are matters for the conscience, and pure pointers of character. !

****Frugal - the landlord that orders supplies (like furnace filters or batteries for smoke alarms) in bulk to get a price savings.