She can set up payments to be paid on the 1st of the month and no one is driving 24/7. 

Then connect with some hard money lenders (you can find some here on BP as well as some who are typing this right now) and connect with them to understand their product type, what they like to lend on and requirements.Hard money broker is all numbers game of making relationships and helping those that are looking for financing, it starts out slow but if you get with a few good borrowers and lenders it can be pretty decent money to be made.As an example we paid six figures last year to HM brokers. 

No fees, no pre-pay.

I paid the first $5K but started having second thoughts because of high vacancy rates in the area.

Assuming the property is worth much more than they paid for it don’t let them give it to you.

Quote from @Scott Mac: Safety - Inherit a fully paid for SFH, in decent condition, in the neighborhood you live in, and rent it out to long term tenants who you are comfortable with.

HI @David SohnSituation 1: You don't pay for your brokers fee:In this situation you are not paying for a buyers agent and they would be paid via the seller.

You the investor and owner of the properties will care about your investment the most, not the agent, not the contractor, not the property manager (they can screen tenants but they still get paid but the repair costs are being deducted out of your rental income and more costs if you need to evict a tenant).I've heard great things about upstate NY and would consider looking in that area or within a 2 hour drive of where you live (not sure if you're near NYC).

We stuck it out, paid our dues on time.

Those tens of billions in valuation depended on pre-fire conditions.