@Matt OwensOut-of-market investment provides affordability, diversity, and greater returns, but it also involves managerial issues, a lack of local expertise, and travel expenses.

Whenever I've stayed at hotels/motels, I find the tv options severely lacking and not worth watching. 

You can get a roommate on your side if you want but when the time comes that your tired of having a roommate you can easily not renew and not take a big hit with lack of income since it is only one room or so that you are eliminating.

They dive deeper into niche services by providing in-depth analysis from a high-level and experienced point of view.I see your biggest obstacles as a lack of experience and background as investors and the perception that these are services your wife should already be offering as the licensed agent.Given those obstacles, what differentiates your service? 

Here’s a summary based on the responses:Tax Rates and Holding Period:For flips (properties bought, rehabbed, and sold quickly), profits are taxed as ordinary income, not capital gains.The holding period is calculated from the purchase date to the sale date.1031 Exchange:1031 exchanges apply only to properties held for investment, not quick flips.If intending to use a 1031 exchange, I must reinvest the proceeds into a like-kind property within 180 days.Holding a property for less than a year may disqualify it from 1031 eligibility due to lack of demonstrated investment intent.Thanks again for all the helpful advice!

And even more so after I'm hearing about the work culture, or lack thereof,  in the area...

It lacks a little in the property accounting side though, so if you end up growing your portfolio, it might be more useful to use software with additional features such as bank feed integration, advanced tax reporting, and receipt scanning. 

This had to do with lack of communication between Lender and borrower.

I lacked the architectural knowledge to design my own.

Plenty of people out there have the money for deals, but the lack the time and energy to FIND them.