It is not true, a contract signed by both parties is valid even if the seller doesnt get a copy right away, or if his dog eats it.We have signed contracts many times and then mailed copies to other party.You could sign a copy, scan it on you phone, then email it to him right away. 

If you are investing from a distance that turnover will eat into your returns if you have a property manager that charges to release a unit.

As my mother-in-law likes to say, how do you eat an elephant?

If needed you can always throw an oven in there while in escrow.That's the sort of property where you get the best of both worlds -- potential for a crap ton of sweat equity, but you get to dodge hard money eating into your rehab budget. 

What's the saying...you can't eat equity. 

Make sure you eat some BBQ while you are here :)Before you book your trip, contact at least 2-3 real estate brokers, 2-3 property managers, and 2-3 general contractors.  

Condo fees eat up cash flow and assessments can be $10,000 or more in some cases.

How does an ant eat an elephant, right?

We can't simply build houses over every non-developed patch of land for so many reasons, not the least of which is, what would we eat??  

Once it starts, their fees will start quickly eating into the equity that you theoretically have.Also you must consider whether the property is subject to a Freddie or Fannie loan.