to give you some idea of my experience.Any ideas on this one I would love to hear. 

What I have learned is that it's nerve wracking to invest out of state, but sometimes investing out of state is a great idea since it could be the most bang for your buck.

However I did note that houses are mostly really old, e.g. 100 years or older... any idea if this poses challenges in things like lead paint presence, outdated wiring, rusty plumbing, etc., or have many of the homes already been updated?   

Both companies have recently closed on transactions with people new to the industry who have no idea how much their current investors are hurting. 

Will follow up to get more details on your idea!

However, normal wear and tear (like some dust or minor carpet stains) shouldn’t count.It’s always a good idea to take photos and keep a record of the condition before the tenant moves in and after they move out.

The appraisal was the longest hold up but the junior loan officer we were assigned seems to have zero idea what he is doing and zero sense of urgency...

You may want to call AA or Al-Anon to get some ideas.

I would love to connect and share ideas.

Great idea. :)