Inspection would notice foundation problems, no?

I want to make sure I have a solid foundation and understand the ins and outs of this type of investing before getting started.

It explains the team that you should develop to have a strong foundation under you while investing remotely.https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/core-four-real-estate-team

But not waiting means learning, prepping, and building relationships, while also building your financial foundation.

With careful preparation and thorough investigation, your investment might be a firm foundation for your real estate portfolio.Good luck!

So its good to team up with good people to help you build up a good foundation so you have the best chance of success with people and systems. 

It’s  not in a visually bad condition - foundations etc are good based on the report - just hasn’t been maintained too well - it’s a large custom home built in 2003 and single story and the agent kept persuading us it’s worth that much.

It almost sounds like having a large dog who is trained would be better as far as potential damage.I'm surprised that you didn't mention tularemia killing humans and that burrowing rabbits can damage house foundations. 

I know this city allows mobile homes installation with permanent foundation. 

The suppliers say they are familiar with building codes in the US, but I still imagine there would be a lot of work to ensure code compliance, as well as installing the home on a new foundation, connect to utilities, etc.