Alternatively, if you leave your paycheck in your checking account earning .01% interest, there is no real benefit.  

You can easily find this online but I will message you directly with some additional info. 

I've seen a lot of bad excel templates online...

Networking through meetups and leveraging online communities like BiggerPockets can provide invaluable support and insights as you take your first steps.Good luck!

It would be nice if you gave them more than that, because it takes a lot of effort to move a business (online marketing, business cards, etc.).

Since you're a citizen but you live and work abroad you'd still qualify mostly for second homes occupancy or investor non owner occupancy (primary is hard to claim if your job requires you to be physically next to the office as an example so an underwriter isnt going to readily believe you unless you can get HR to write you a letter to state you're remotely capable of earning this income/job duties anywhere).Hopefully that helps let me know if you have further questions into mortgage planning.

The counties themselves take 2-4 weeks to record a document online.

Atlanta MSA is great and growing, but Multi-Family supply coming on line there both now and through next year is significant, wouldn't this be a better/cheaper deal 1 year from now?

If you are not cash flowing and have a high earning job you don't need to deal with 3 or 4 rentals. 

You can also check their reviews online at Google, Facebook, or Yelp.