Brandon, it is 100% Possible to do this remotely I would say something import that i learned the hard way though is if you are going to have a virtual market (Wholesale Remotely) you will need to make a strong relationship with about 5-10 qualified cash buyers first, so you have a great idea on what your end buyer will pay, who your end buyer is, and ensure that you can lock contracts up over the phone and get them sold fast! 

Any time I buy a deal without a real estate agent I just use a standard purchase contract and work with my local preferred title company to help us navigate the deal and all of the paperwork.I've done this many times and admittedly am still a bit nervous when a realtor is not involved, but you have to have confidence in the title company ensuring that ownership changes hands appropriately and that everybody is adhering to the terms of the contract.Our purchase contracts out here in AZ give you an out during your 10 day inspection window (although I generally shorten that window to ~5 days).

It may be a private individual or a friend but you want to ensure you have a formal contract that gets into the various details typical with a rehab loan.

A good broker would make this non-issue for you as they would ensure all details of the loan are discussed prior to you sitting down to sign. 

Your lease may make it their responsibility, but ensuring they fulfill that responsibility is your responsibility. 

The IRS is taking a more conservative approach and hiring more employees as @Nathan G. mentioned and you want to ensure you have all your ducks in a row + a team behind you to back you up if something comes into question.

I come from a project management & process improvement background (Lean Six Sigma Master Blackbelt, PMP, Stanford Certified Project Manager) and have applied the lessons I've learned implementing SmartSheet solutions in a fortune 100 company to my own real estate investments and have found it very helpful.Example SmartSheet Capabilities:- Dashboards with charts and reports- Workflow notifications and approvals- Formulas- PDF automation- Gantt chartsUse Case Examples:Deliveries - Given that I'm not physically present to receive deliveries I need to ensure a smooth handoff to the individual receiving the delivery, ensuring the furniture/appliance/amenity/etc. is in good condition, and staging it.

I recommend pursuing more than one strategy at a time, to ensure the best results.

Monitor your ads every 2-3 days and ensure your budget is optimized.

As a best practice, tenants should be provided with written notice of this arrangement to ensure they are aware of it and not being charged above-market rates.All the best!