So as much as I hate to, would it be better to keep the W2 income to qualify for loans so I can snap some up at the bottom of the next major crash?

If you can find a condo with an active HOA and one that has a healthy reserve and is run well, condos are amazing investments.  

Make sure you have enough of a reserve to account for unexpected expenses such as vacancy and major repairs.

I then use websites like Build.com or Wayfair to source the majority of the materials and have them shipped directly to the project site.

@Theresa Amouzou There is a huge difference from country to country in Europe, so I would try to get in touch with investors in UK spesifically.One major difference between the US and Norway for instance is the fact that offers are binding.

Is this something everyone comes across quite frequently and i just have to accept the fact that a majority of the people out there will most-likely not show up at all or am i just running into some bad luck during my first go-around?

I use Home Renters Warehouse right now and don't have any major complaints.

Brandon and Josh always say, you can usually find a pretty cash flow-friendly area within two hours of any major city.)Lastly, try joining your HOA board, lay low for a while and learn, then see what you can do about lowering HOA fees.

That requires that whichever CPA you work with have full visibility into all your active and passive sources of income (and losses!). 

I searched my area and found a house on there that says active pre-foreclosure.