Here are a few steps to consider:Research the Lender: Look for reviews, testimonials, and online presence of the private lender you're considering.

Build a presence, offer value to those around you, and when you get a great deal, throw it out and see if anyone is interested.

You can either subscribe to MassLandlords association, they have a small presence on BP and get their lease or BP has their local MA state lease.

You might also consider what other groups you could target: digital nomads, insurance placements, corporate housing, construction companies, academics, relocations.

Increased attention from Real Estate Investors should create increased modern housing opportunities to attract an increasing number of desperate house hunters and digital remote workers looking for value in where they live.

Rather, they will have anticipated the need for succession planning and they will have backup plans in place, and backups to their backups.The worst case scenario for a landlord is having an individual property manager who is the only person who has access to the bank accounts that hold all of the current rental income, the escrow accounts that hold all of the deposits and prepaid rent, and the passwords for your digital footprint.

Coming from a military background myself and the heavy military presence in the area, I agree, that tactic may come in quite useful in certain situations! 

I've used them twiceTypically only smaller banks will do this, whether they'll do it for an out of state property probably depends on if they have a banking presence in that other location or not.

The presence of an old heating oil tank, a business that used cleaners coupled with septic system or dry wells could suggest this possibility. 

There's not a huge BP presence (that's active) in SD, but myself and @Aaron Lawson are trying to get a La Mesa BP/REI group going.