My plan now is as you say. A

I have read things that say a SS does not do as much damage to the credit rating and then other places say there is not much difference.

., or want something that someone else might have (say a 3/2 single family home as an investment property) then you can mention that and give out your contact info, and it's a great way to do deals with other investors, wholesalers, rehabbers, etc. 

From what you stated, you don't have a completed application so you don't really have an applicant to consider.If they balk at providing any of the information you require, then it's usually better to say as little as possible, "Until I have a complete application, I'm not able to consider you as a tenant." 

If you're looking for returns for the passive investors then I'd say a lot look to double their money in 5 years, which ends up being an average annual return of 20%.

You have to put pencil to paper and see what the numbers say. As

I was say a good attorney, agent, property manager, and contractor is a good starting point.

But here in Canada I can buy say a $400k house for the mortgage balance of $360k with a loan at 3% = P&I of $1,704.

I would say a modification of option 1, not a mutual fund but syndications. 

Let me give a simple scenario we can try to work with:  * Lets say a house is $100k* Taxes are 1500/yr* House could rent for $1000 a month.