If you can find a way to stand out from the crowd and show a true benefit of working with you versus your competition, you'll be ahead of the game!

If your goal is to get into to rehab, then you should go ahead and buy a rehab property.

It's a great way to build relationships and get ahead in this business.  

If I purchase this, it could get me in the bag with private financing in the future (most require you to have some kind of portfolio usually five doors).I visited the property today.

Please feel free to give me a call to visit more about your goals and real estate investing in general.

I saw that on a recent visit there, and I thought that would be good for a rental, but I am not sure what the cost is for the actual individual tiles and then placing them by hand (obviously more time consuming). 

You will have better luck with small banks to get an offer in just ahead of listing it.

Every titan started with his/her first deal...you happen to be decades ahead of most, and for a long game like REI, by the time you're my age you can have an empire of your own design.

I live out of the country but visit a couple times a year and have family in the area.  

Go and visit, walk around, talk to people, become a local-even if only for a short while, stay for a few days.