Really id like to get my foot in the door with something pretty soon but i dont think before January is possible for me rn.

Some of the logistics are fuzzy as we would have to travel there regulary, get to have a great understanding of the cultural differences, build a 'team' of people as there are no Home Depots on every corner, but for about $50k US, you can own a pretty cool place in Italy.Best of luck to you!

If it’s the cost of 3-4 months of electricity it’s probably pretty reasonable as my 1 bedroom units tend to run $35-$45 per month.

Pretty excited! 

Las Cruces market is still pretty hot. 

Yes, but highly unlikely:(Anaylsis process is pretty simple.To determine what to offer on a rental property:Determine reasonable market rent, NOT the highest!

I generally rule out most single family homes as viable rentals, as prices are pretty high relative to rents, so aside from some downtown neighborhoods, typically you do not find large areas of single family rental neighborhoods (a median sale price on a 3 bed, 2 bath home so far this year in Dane County on MLS sales data is at $430k). 

That is a pretty basic thing and common UNLESS you spelled out something different in their rental agreement.

After some travel over the past few years, I find myself back in Boston with a job that could shape up to be pretty okay in the long run. 

I also notice that @Gregory Schwartz mentioned Huntsville in particular—I definitely think that it’s a strong market for long-term appreciation.As for your concerns about investing out of state, I think an investment strategy that is as close to passive as possible would be best.A do-it-yourself approach—where you acquire a property, place a tenant, interview a bunch of property managers, and handle maintenance yourself—is going to be pretty tough to do remotely.