I am new to real estate investing and looking to connect with any local investor. 

Since when should any local govt have the right to tell someone they can't rent or lease their property or other items. 

While I’m new to the business, I’m eager to learn, grow, and connect with local investors, landlords, and fellow real estate professionals.

If your asset is older and/or smaller, you may have better luck with local community banks or credit unions.

As U.S. citizens residing in Europe, we are required by the local tax code to hold the property in our personal name.

Quote from @Gregory Wilson: A few things there, Brendan.First, an LLC with you as a member and your (wife, son, pal, etc.) partner as a 1% member will file a Form 1065 which is about one tenth as likely to be audited by the IRS as a Form 1040 with a Schedule E rental activity (which I presume you will attempt to show is an active business).Second, you want an LLC because when your local Alabama handyman drives his girlfriend's uninsured truck into a van load of U of A medical school interns on I-22 when he goes  to get some shingles for your roof, on your business, you don't lose everything you have or ever will have to an uninsured claim. 

Doable if you lean on local boots-on-the-ground (realtors, PMs) and avoid another Cahokia overprice trap.

If anybody local (especially other wholesalers) or anybody else even out of my market wants to connect, feel free to reach out!

Hey, I am an in the Kansas City area looking to meet and connect with local investors.  

There are many people on this site pushing those locations that have not historically kept up with inflation.Btw I advocate all newbies start local even if their local market has not kept up with inflation.