It is important to do this when owner occupied because loan terms are better for owner occupied than non-owner occupied properties. 

1.Knock the door.2.Skip trace the owner.Just a thought....if you can in fact buy at the tax sale you may get it cheaper and with non-governmental liens wiped out....but perhaps with a right of redemption.Before the sale you might pay more, but then maybe you are the only bidder and no redemption period.

By "professional landlord changes things" did he mean that you would now be considered a real estate professional and therefore eligible to take advantage of real estate losses vs a non-real estate professional?

There is a lot of discussion about wholesaling, rent to own, and other non traditional investing methods 

need strong active and experienced alpha male type manager who will vidit walk thru inspect monthly . most downtown lewiston is sec 8 and non working adults. a large population of class d houses that are damaged and tenants here work eviction court system every Wednesday. 

As @David Greene mentions get Rock Stars on your team and give them their swim lanes!  

I took pics of it all so think I am good but surely there is something I can do as feel she, and idiots like her, should not be able to do this kind of thing, she is the sort of person that thinks it's her world and we just live here.Should I make a non urgent report to the police or serve her an injunction never to return to this property just to make it clear she was in the wrong.

I do not have an interest in working as a RE so I'm hoping there is another option to access properties other than what is out there to the public.

Once you acquire a larger portfolio, then perhaps you should consider non-local rentals, but at the cost of hiring a great PM.

I was just thinking...If you find a suburb with consistent growth, growing number of jobs and diversified industries, a nearby bustling metro, talks of public transportation... would you build an airport?