Given that I am self employed, a few personal loan options, did preliminary asking about my situation, and they got lost in the weeds with how my real estate income looks so dismal on tax returns.

I am currently employed as a project engineer working for a GC that builds multi-family projects.

After a year or two we intend to buy a larger property in the same area and partner with some friends on it but I do believe a boots on the ground person employed only by you is KEY to executing anything if you are not in the country yourself.

It seems like this would have to be some preset terms under employment agreements.

For individuals with full-time jobs in other industries, meeting this threshold is challenging unless real estate is a substantial focus outside regular employment.

Need letter from employer that either says they allow remote work or the hire is for Texas location. 

But, they will be in challenging parts of town where realistically you do not want to own property and your long-run returns will under-perform.I'd encourage you to find a balance of sub-market growth, nearby employment, strong income, and only then a good rent-to-value ratio. 

For example, population growth, employment rates, rent-to-price ratio, rental demand, etc. 

You may also need to provide additional documentation, such as proof of income and employment, and may need to have a co-signer who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.In terms of buying with an LLC, it can be a good option for some foreign buyers, as it can provide additional liability protection and potentially offer tax benefits.

BO is ramping up their employment now, my new tenant will be working with HR at the site and will be onboarding lots of folks over the next 2-3 years!