As an out of state investor you can't expect an out of state company to provide the knowledge of actual boots on the ground in that market.

You’ll find plenty of friendly, knowledgeable people willing to help respond to your questions.

Good start would be to contact these two who are currently top contributors: @Natalie Kolodij and @Michael Plaks, both of them have wealth of knowledge when it comes to REI and taxes. 

Excuse my lack of knowledge, but is the benchmark different than the interest rate given?

Should I use paid, targeted advertising on Facebook or other social platforms (this I have practically 0 knowledge of)?

The answer to that is above my paygrade and I suggest you consult with a 1031 expert. 

We were newbies and not that different from other newbies but maybe I was around RE investing more growing up than most but I had to convince a wife (who now is fully on board but was only a little on board during the Great Recession when it would have been great time to have purchased more).Now with more knowledge I would avoid purchasing RE investments at full retail. 

Is anyone here an expert on Canadian taxes with respect to purchasing US real estate?

Hi Javier, I think the ultimate best way to save your money is to add a knowledgeable and proactive accountant into your team.The wholesalers are taxed very aggressively in comparison to landlords, but a couple of things that just popped in my head:- consider living/investing in a state with no state income tax- consider investing through tax-deferred plans like IRA- consider creating a corporation and make sure you maximize your tax deductions

General knowledge from visiting.