I'm not going to spend all my time saving and paying down my personal residence, because the sooner I create another asset (generating passive income), the longer I can build returns from it. 

I totally agree, based on your objectives and fact you will not have a local PM, that trying a cash for keys approach might be the most productive. 

Like Nathan said, there are a lot of products out there to solve the problem of screening tenants so it would be worth checking those out.

If my property was fully paid off it would be an asset full of leverage to buy additional properties via refi.

You might want to look into the loan product Fannie Mae calls "Homestyle".

I have a dedicated acreage (part of a 'change of use' to new 'best and highest' value model) in a dedicated site, barb wire secured, that might be suitable for wild simulated ginseng production.

Operating expenses - I have requested this from multiple properties in order to try and place a value on the asset, but I am just getting a very simple spreadsheet with rents and expenses.

I think that's 15%, but this may have changed in the new tax law.If you've not been claiming the rental income on taxes and  carefully tracking the assets associated with this property you will need to do some work to sort this out. 

The trick to doing debt positively is to be sure you are investing in assets rather than liabilities (as the good 'ole Rich Dad says).

Many REO's have an online system to submit offers that go directly to the asset manager making the decision, and the REO agent, is acting as more of a property manager.