I've come across a couple of properties that seem to be vacant and through some internet sleuthing I've determined that the owner is absent.

Doesn't seem like it fits the BRRRR strategy very well since he'd still have a lot of money tied up in the deal.

It seems unlikely to me that paying retail for a rental property will produce great cash flow.

And it seems baffling there are no construction or architecture firms dedicated to the concept.There is no convention in shipping container construction, therefore every step of the process is clunky, i.e. time-consuming, i.e. expensive.This is why, I believe, it hasn't (really) worked, which is definitely not to say that it won't work.

Main difference is I'm about 8 years earlier than you on the real estate journey line.If you see me at the Meetup @Kevin Fox mentioned, please do say Hi ... or feel free to reach out if you have any specific questions you think I could help with - I'm by no means the longest running B&H investor here, but can provide plenty of opinions and actuals data based on various types of property in the area south of 52, north of 94, and west of La Mesa.Good luck!  

Seems excessive but 

I have never looked into it but it seems like a great idea! 

As a Seller I try to have it, but agents always seem to pushback on it.

But, what I'm getting from you all seems to be that my mistake is not actually going to see the property.  

I want to get the ball rolling and start buying properties, just seems like there is no quick way to do it.