We have 3 units that are fully furnished including dishes, flatware, etc.  

What were your maintenance costs for the past year, to include replacing broken furniture, dishes, etc?

Occasionally properties will stay on the list for multiple years because they’re not a deal even at the minimum bid price. 

Although brands like Dewalt are Pro grade this may be overkill if you only use tools occasionally, Harbor Freight tools are cost effective and will  certainly be of value.

With the amount of homes we sell every year, occasionally we run across a situation where the appraised valued comes in much lower then the actual sale price.

I'd enjoy keep some of it for recreation but I don't want it all just for occasional walks in the woods?

But I actually think it's good to have people on the podcast occasionally that don't focus totally on real estate to show a different perspective and strategy .

Yes, they can fumble their way through the average transaction that has few - if any - hiccups but they're doing a disservice to their clients and they are putting everything at risk when things go sideways.As long as you do it part-time, you will only get occasional work.

If I invest in notes, I will occasionally have to buy a $1000+ plane ticket to "get it done"? 

  :)  That said, we do work hard to find properties adjacent to the hot areas, as we'll occasionally get some bleed over.