I currently work for a property management company in SW Florida.I have enjoyed learning about investment real estate, and hope to continue learning on this forum.Thanks for welcoming me to such a great online community!

As a property manager, I deposit funds into my abroad clients US bank accounts every month...they access the money online. 

This is a major obstacle in closing a HUD with financing but you might check around with other lenders or local banks

When it came to customers, he had 6 floor plans, but he let the owners pick out pre-determined materials and add interior non-load bearing walls, except locations for major items.

There are a lot of free online tools to help you determine whether a house is a sound investment or not.  

Yes they are old and many need substantial work, but you have a major advantage over people living in more expensive areas of the country, not to mention a great supply of small multifamily homes.

They're online and free.

Currently, I am looking for RE investment opportunity such as rental properties in major cities outside of CA. 

What is the best online resource to look up the amount of equity (or outstanding loan amount) on a certain property?  

I recently had a broker send me materials on a property that were at 50% occupancy because the need for major capex made half of the units unlivable.