I am also planning to open a cleaning company that cleans my rentals to do some of my own cleaning and charge the company as well write off the cleaning supplies and what not.

Cant wait to write about my first flip!

If she balks, and says she accepted your offer in writing, you have to perform or back out and lose your deposit.

Before anything else, I would suggest you take a piece of paper and write out the reason you want to become an investor.  

Get transactional RE attorney to write up any notes, deeds of trust, etc.The next best alternative is probably to get a cash partner and go in 50/50 or some agreed split owning the property in an entity with a clear operating agreement that spells everything out.  

I wish I could go inside and check 'em out, and then write my own offer.

Then I ACTUALLY hand write yellow letters and send them off.  

Now, write the following ten times, no, make that a hundred times!

I write into my lease rules that the tenant is responsible to keep their front door/walk/stairs free of "snow, ice and debris".  

I want to learn how to prospect and evaluate property, write up my own contracts, how to acquire land without having to put any (or little) of my money down, etc.