We are planning to expand into the realm of having bipedal children and being able to spend as much time with them as possible when we do is the main motivating factor for me right now.   

They do not want their grown children making mistakes and squandering all the money and the income stream goes away.

I would trust them with the life of my children. 

If communication is an issue find someone that can communicate with her, like her children or other immigrants from her country that are in the area, and communicate through them.

Hi Ash,These are my two cents and I'm a newbie too, but according to the research I have done these are my findings:SFH tent to attract tenants for a little longer, specially if they have children in school, since once they are stablished in a particular school distric they want to stay there.  

Really curious why investors purchase income properties, is it so you can live off the cash flow for retirement, fund your children's college tuition, quit your day job or maybe some other reason?  

Here's an NY Times article relevant to this discussion:  Don't let your children grow up to be farmers.

For that price you could have all the furniture and appliances that are still in the house.

Get them to make an emotional investment by identifying with stories in your letters.I would rather create my list and drill down to a small handful of people who have a "perfect storm" of problems: foreclosure, marital problems, adult children problems, big health issues, financial pressure, code enforcement citations; as many as you can find at one time.

No big troubles, good tenant - a woman with children.