It has great potential but is currently a distressed property, owners divorced and walked out. 

The current owners are an older couple who are in and out of the hospital and have terrible bookkeeping so it's been a tough getting good documentation.

Which tax number should a foreign owner of vacation rental home apply for tax purpose?

Then look in the county assessors website to find the owners. it should give their name and mailing address.

The owner shows up when the truck is picking up the scrap and it dawns on him that I am getting money for the metal .  

This is therefore making me put an additional $1212/month more towards my loans for those first/next 7.4 years ($2446-$1234= $1212).If I was to invest this money instead in a property via low money down owner-occupied purchasing wouldn't I be far better off come the end of the 22 years if I chose that repayment plan for my loans, ifffff I rely on appreciation (I know I know, bare with me).I think this because recently, I bought a triplex last year ($235k) and it is cash flowing about $3k/yr (soon to go up when I get rid of my PMI) plus my tax benefits.

Also, the property must be a home for the owner, it can't be a commercial building or be used on a business.

Your local housing commission may sponsor owner seminars to get you spun up on the rules.Unfortunately, it's the dirtbag S8 tenants who give the entire program a bad rap.

If that is the case, and you lived in that property two of the last five years calling it a owner-occupied property, than the capital gains will not hit you on anything up to $500,000 ($250,000 if single/not married).

So you should cast a slightly wider net when looking at employment opportunities around a given property as your rental demand may actually be coming from slightly further afield depending on the specific geography of your market.When it comes to flipping, you're probably looking to sell to an owner-occupant rather than another investor, which means certain things become even more important.