Way to much work and problems.Best case scenario :  Find distress house and buy at 55% of fair market value....maybe 20% fix up and carrying costs and hope for 25% profit or less.But avoid junkers, heavy damage, roof problems, furnace problems, etc.  

How about painting, we end up spending a fair amount on paint about every time we do a turn.How about long term items like counters? 

And that value will be determined by an appraisal (not your contract price).So, if #1 and #2 appraise for $60k fair market value, you'd only be able to finance 75% of that ($45k each).

I know rehab fairly well and the vacation rental business. 

My HML uses ClearCapital - https://www.clearcapital.com/ -- got a fair and accurate current and ARV estimate on a recent flip I did there after the first appraisal was WAY off.

While I am trying to maintain my full time job and begin a lucrative investing career, I am pondering buying a new property to rent out once I arrive.

Currently we have a -(negative)5% vacancy rate and he maintains his inventory like he owns it himself.

He was homeless for about 10 years and has been able to maintain his home for some time. 

Even with the internet agents still have a fair amount of sway with buyers.

It's not an investor fee, it's a doc fee that it charged by the broker to maintain your transaction files for a period of years set by the state, or something similar.