Do keep reading and participating in the forums.You might also find a local, seasoned, successful real estate investor and see if s/he will allow to you to tag along and learn in exchange for offering some skill (accounting, carpentry, landscaping, etc) you can contribute ... or, general labour.

So far impressed but no money exchanged yet. 

The spread between the two locations and the forecasted rent rate and appreciation increase will help steer you in the right direction.But you are right there is risk involved, but a quick exchange on a forum is really not enough to comment on the potential danger vs ROI.

I’m considering a slight reduction in exchange for a multi-year lease.

Let me know if any of that works for you and we can exchange info.

The manager doesn’t get pay in exchange for a free room to stay.

You would have to do 1031 exchange if you wanted to defer the taxes.2) No matter if you move in or occupy the house, all the work done before rental or before moving in will be added to the basis of the property.

Unfortunately our money will just sit in a British account until the exchange rate goes back up or unless I can find a trustworthy partner to deal with in the states.

In this market, which is flush with cash buyers and 1031 exchange money, as has been the case for a while, it's not hard to sell bundles of property regardless of financing seller side financing.

I will soon be having the funds from a 1031 exchange to invest in new properties.