But you would be surprised folks either don't believe we do this or they just don't have the drive to go find the deals etc.  

Less surprises during the project will save you lots of stress and hassle. 

.- You may be charged back for something that was done months ago (that will catch you completely by surprise when you have no money left at the end of the month and may even owe them);- They also advertise vacant units on rental platforms with weird fees (which you'll find out later when looking for your unit's ad online).

When you choose a living situation with other people above, below or beside you that share walls, especially an older building, you should not be surprised that you may hear babies cry, toilets flush, alarm clocks, phone calls, etc.

Inspections are good start, but they don't check anything that the inspector cannot see so once you start opening walls, you might be in a big surprised.

This is my first investment property, I plugged everything into my deal analysis calculator and it seems to be like a good deal but I want to ensure I don't have any surprises. 

I wouldn't be surprised if the previous owner knew this. 

nor is pesky repairs that don't show up until a few months or years of a tenant living in a property.i say all this not to discourage you but to arm you with facts. i don't want you to be surprised like so many others are.and: partnering, tapping into equity, anything else 'creative' just means expensive. 

So, foreign investors should be aware of their travel patterns and consult a cross-border tax advisor to avoid any surprises.

RecommendationGiven your goal of minimizing upfront costs while keeping control, here’s how you might proceed:Conduct a Thorough Title Search: Before committing, make sure there are no surprises in the title.