Jose,I think the El Paso market is very strong.

I also do contract for deed, low closing costs but I strongly suggest you close a CFD at an attorneys office (gives feeling of official and legal,,, which it is).Have a written contract for performance, quartlerly inspections and penalties if no work or poor quality.The summary is:  these rarely work out. 

We been together 20yrs strong. 

The odds favor you by a large margin.Also- it's been established you can't aggregate your activity between multiple rentals as with IRC 469 to qualify for the 199A. 

Just food for thought, I'm a relative newbie compared to many experts here so feel free to agree/disagree strongly.

The city is vibrant with good job growth, and there is a strong rental market and short-term airbnb does well there, and lots of smaller multi-families with good bones.

@Anne @Anne Smith California has very strong tenant laws making it difficult to evict tenants.

Some people love managing their properties and do so happily, but if that decision is not motivated by a strong desire to learn by doing, you may find your stamina waning sooner than you think, so just be honest with yourself.Going OOS can be done a couple ways, as mentioned by other commenters.

I do still think that Texas and Florida for example have room to grow because of the strong population and jog growth. would it become another LA.

Caution:Contracting for repair, maintenance, remodeling, or improvement by any person licensed under part I of chapter 475 (real estate agent) while acting as the owner’s agent pursuant to that license, where all work requiring a contractor is performed by a contractor who has a current, valid certificate or registration issued under this part to perform such work, and where the aggregate contract for labor, materials, and all other items is less than $5,000; however, this exemption does not apply: (a) If the maintenance, repair, remodeling, or improvement is a part of a larger or major operation, whether undertaken by the same or a different contractor, or in which a division of the operation is made in contracts of amounts less than $5,000 for the purpose of evading this part or otherwise.For the sake of your cousin's license, either make her a part owner (sharing the gross profit as her compensation) or get a GC on the job asap.Just a helpful hint to keep a fellow real estate agent out of jail.