This is a case of ready fire aim where you need to have your ducks in a row before you start talking to sellers and making offersThe home sellers deserve all the possible information from you the real estate investor to know what their options areThere is an attorney in Ohio called  Jeff Watson and he interviewed the oh real estate commission as far as the complaints from homesellers about Real Estate Investors talking to Sellers and tying up their properties with option contracts and sale and purchase agreements with the sole intention of assigning them, not buying them, ever.Search here on Bp for Jeff WatsonIn Ohio if you're not licensed you need to be able to have the ability to close on the transaction, meaning to buy the property with Hardmoney if for some reason you cannot find a buyer to flip toI highly recommend you get your license so that you can talk to Sellers about flipping contracts or doing lease option assignmentsYou want to get on title with either subject to, wraparound mortgage, or buy with HardmoneyThen you can do your exit: resell, lease, lease option, or sell on land contractAnd by the way that real estate agent doesn't know anything about contract law, the contract can be assigned unless it's specifically written in the contract that it cannot be assigned

In other words with a (likely) cash-flow intention... am I best going 3 bdr or bust.... or if not, what % price difference would you consider for a 2 bdr that would bring a equitable amount of rent instead? 

If you are looking for quick cash, I'd recommend buying "as-is" with the intent of renovating and listing back on the market.

You don't have to necessarily have a realtor show you one millions places without a intent to purchase, but I'm sure a realtor would be more than happy to show you a place or two so you can get an idea of the area.

Get to the point where you have an intuitive idea for what deals look good, so that you can pass on the 99% of mediocre/crappy ones, and only investigate the attractive few.You need to learn to value deals better than the realtors, because their incentive is to complete a transaction and move on, unless you have a demonstrated capacity to do several deals in the near future.I am presently going for my 4th property, and my intention is to get my 5th property by EOY as well.

"Sorry, Billy - that was not my intent.  

As long as you can make the payments religiously.And record the land contract against the titleAnd use a loan servicing company like note collection.comAnd use a property trust in case the seller gets suedAnd get the sale and purchase agreement done at the same time and open up an escrow which starts the chain of events as far as intention to sellIf you're buying land contract you may want to find a mortgage company that will look at the land contract after 12 months as a refinance instead of a new originationI have to investigate Washington state but I think buying on land contract and selling on lease to own might be a great strategy for many people

My first overture to the representatives is a targeted introductory letter, expressing a potential intent to purchase the house and asking the representatives to call me back.  

Be up front with the landlord to your intent.

Marketing the property for sale prior to owning it would be acting as an unlicensed broker. 4735.01 Real estate broker definitions.As used in thischapter:(A) "Real estate broker" includes any person, partnership, association, limited liability company, limited liability partnership, or corporation, foreign or domestic, who for another, whether pursuant to a power of attorney or otherwise, and who for a fee, commission, or other valuable consideration, or with the intention, or in the expectation, or upon the promise of receiving or collecting a fee, commission, or other valuable consideration does any of the following: (1) Sells, exchanges, purchases, rents, or leases, or negotiates the sale, exchange, purchase, rental, or leasing of any real estate; (2) Offers, attempts, or agrees to negotiate the sale, exchange, purchase, rental, or leasing of any real estate; (3) Lists, or offers, attempts, or agrees to list, or auctions, or offers, attempts, or agrees to auction, any real estate; (4) Buys or offers to buy, sells or offers to sell, or otherwise deals in options on real estate;