I prefer the brush on kit over the spray on kit, because the overspray is difficult to contain.Definitely use a respirator, and follow the instructions EXACTLY or it will not work properly.  

Surprisingly it is difficult to finance the smaller amounts.

In good neighborhoods of major northeast cities it is very difficult to find properties that make sense for an investor just starting out.

It seems very difficult to try to reach the mortgage company to try to talk with someone about the property and I'm not sure if that would be fruitful of not if I did. 

If you do want to sell a property or two to 1031 exchange, I would find your most problem properties and/or those far away to be difficult to self manage to sell.

Can you wholesale a HUD property and if so how difficult is it?

I feel that I am currently in a dilemma: on one hand, it is very difficult for me to find home mortgage loans as an international buyer (I do not have SSN); on the other hand, even if some mortgage companies will provide loan for me, they ask for 50% down for multifamily properties.

You can sue the tenant but serving them will be the difficult part. 

Daniel is right, they are very difficult to come by. 

Everyone's different with different perspectives, which makes it difficult to base someone else's goal as reasonable.