But seriously, like @Scott Swanson said, any OOS investing has risks (heck for that matter something next door to you will too, but you know that), but having good contacts helps mitigate the risk.  3) Under $100K...that's tough, you'll probably have to go outside of the major metros. 

As you in the PNW know, the housing market is tough and those rentals are harder and harder to find.

I think the reserves aspect gets glossed over on a lot of posts, but it can mean the difference between sleeping well and a fire sale of properties when things get tough.

It will then be easier to prove the value on the day you moved out if you sell in the future. the time you lived there will be taxed exempt and the value created after that date will be taxed as a rental.

If you're working with a traditional bank/lender, getting your cash out quickly may prove to be difficult.

@Mantas Motekaitis a HELOC can be tough to get sometimes on a non-owner occupied.

I can't imagine it will be tough to rent it out to some reliable tenants either.

this is a tough one...

Its tough to find a property management company that will manage homes that bring in less then 1000 a month.

Just by your story in appears that it would be hard to prove they didn’t do the work especially since you’re not even sure exactly what the work was supposed to be.