And in the last road trip, I realized that it wasn't very realistic of me to just expect things to go smoothly without my presence here.

It's a lot of research (understanding the area, what renters want, what the prices are daily)  a lot of online marketing skills (I own a digital production company that works with influencers to expand their social media presence) and buying the "right"  place and branding it correctly.

http://www.obitalk.com/info/businessThe VOIP providers I would recommend (aside from google voice) are:CallCentric [ http://www.callcentric.com/ ]Voip.ms [ https://voip.ms/ ]Anveo [ http://anveo.com/ ]In particular, look at the "call flow" and "digital receptionist" solutions available from Anveo and Voip.ms.  

They have a lot of money from my retirement funds and (6-digits).

You would want a system technology called CVI which is analog but very close to digital technology.

This can be achieved by numerous ways, the easiest way I always recommend is google search for the lender, the contractor and the 1st page results or even "ad" results are probably going to populate someone sophisticated  enough to handle the process if they have the modern sophistication of the marketing element or public presence.

There are lots of better alternatives that can add beauty to your office without breaking the budget.Search online and download a digital image, and add your own custom effects by zooming or cropping.

A couple of things to consider:  1) new construction is booming in both of these areas - this can work in your favor for purchasing older/existing homes, especially as demand grows for new homes (with a typical starting retail price around $230-240,000);  2) If you are willing to get a 3bd/1ba or 3bd/1 1/2 you can see significant price savings so that you can hit your target number (e.g 70% ARV - repairs).I'm not sure what other resources you are checking but you might want to keep these sites in mind to find deals:For the Richmond Hill area keep an eye on FSBO sites including www.militarybyowner.com - as TJ mentioned there is a large military presence due to nearby Ft.

@John Underwood All my houses when I first started were the only full houses in the area now they are packed, that's why I get so many rentals  because I had presence and ratings already.

Also, the inspector will have a moisture meter to determine the presence of water/moisture inside the home that may have dried on the surface.