Assume you'll hear that the house is worth it when it isn't, tenants are good, management will handle everything, it will be easy for you, vacancy and non-payment will not be much of an issue, repairs won't cost that much.Some will be honest, some won't. 

Any experts out there with some insights on non-conforming, grandfathered, weird properties...that might not have similar comps, hence making it harder to find a loan, etc?

Simply put, historic registered buildings generally have no more value as an investment than non listed buildings. 

Using the QRP oans get you the second tier financing options, for example, a Roth IRA can buy real estate on leverage, however, will need a non-recourse loan which is often a fraction high-interest rate and lower LTV.

Loan docs are usually a deed, promissory note, deed of trust, lender's instructions to the title company, and attorney letter of non-representation. 

I either sell them on a land contract or do a lease option because I get more money upfront, the money I get is non-refundable (unlike a security deposit), the occupant takes better care of the place, and if I get the property back, I get to repeat the process and make more money off the property than I would as a rental. 

Given the current non-investor friendly SFH market, auctions are the only place I've found mediocre deals over the last 18 months or so. 

I have been listening to Podcast nearly 24/7 and  reading non-stop. 

The loan terms are VERY apealling to me :-) The reason not to just do a non-recourse loan is that would be 60K down and I dont have quite that much right now.

If using a lender this is a non issue.