I suspect it is similar in one respect to marking to absentee owners lists in that it's a list you can easily buy.

@David Bennett Mold can be easily masked.

Generally permits mean nothing, and having them does not provide any protection, other than the fact that NOT having them is a negative indicator that will go against you because a lawyer can insinuate very easily that you did shoddy work and were cutting corners.If you are careful about how you do things, and yes even how you treat people, you are less likely to be sued and found negligent.

The listing agent did post that it needs a complete remodel, but from further information its only the interior that needs remodel, floors, kitchen, bathrooms, walls freshened up, etc, which I can do myself easily.

I am from Singapore and what makes me get interested with US real estate is the higher rental yield compare to Asia. 1% monthly rent from property price seems easily attainable in US, however this figure can only be obtain in Asia during the 2007-2008 subprime crisis. 

I don't have that much debt, and I am confident that I would be able to correct my credit fairly easily during said year.

It can be a hassle dealing with buyers of your flip properties and is something that is easily outsourced if you want to focus on finding new properties or are doing the rehab work yourself. 

I could easily use my contractors and make this super easy for him but I really feel he needs to go through all steps as if he was doing this alone.

I could easily call the lender with these questions, but I'd like to hear what you guys have to say first. 

I had a plumber come out today (about 72 hours after my tenant noticed the leak) and he concluded it to be the fault of the shower valve, which he repaired rather easily.