I also come from a project management background, so was well aware of the amazing feats that can be accomplished with a competent team.When it was time to invest, I scanned all markets I had any sort of access to, evaluated which other ones I could enter with reasonable safety by utilizing unfamiliar teams on the ground, then crossed that over with potential returns.I'm a pure cashflow investor, never like to speculate, so reliable monthly cashflow was criteria no. 1, followed closely by no. 2 - ease of management and low maintenance, then finally no. 3 - Affordability (which equals hedge and diversity), and last but not least, no. 4 - would I like to visit once or twice a year, at worst case, if things require my hands-on attendance.A combination of the four pointed at Japan, which is where I'm primarily invested (with smaller portions of our family portfolio in the US, Europe and Australia), although I'm only living there half the year at this point, thanks to good team utilization which means I don't need to go there unless I want to - this may change now that the yen's down and our son's nearing primary school age - which is the whole point of renting where you live and investing where the money and the environment works for you - to retain the flexibility and lifestyle benefits of being able to work and live anywhere we want at any given time.This is, of course, a long process of rationalization and calculation summarized in a nutshell - if I haven't bored you to death yet, and you want to hear more about the hows and whys of investing overseas, feel free to contact me. :)Best of luck in your chosen path, you seem to be considering all the right factors before embarking on it - I'm sure you'll enjoy the ride.

(I find actually writing them out helps me retain the information better.) 

Being we do quite a bit of probate deals we have a relationship with a probate attorney who will work our deals with a small retainer upfront and the rest paid on the HUD at closing.

Christopher and Scott -A rehab-to-perm loan is a two-part loan process that allows real estate investors to purchase and rehab investment properties that they intend to retain as rentals.The problem with purchase mortgages is three-fold. 1. mortgages take too long 2. you cannot get a mortgage on many distressed properties due to problems with foundation, roof, etc 3. you sink too much money into rentals when putting 20% down and then paying all rehab out-of-pocket without reimbursementCash is a great option, but you are limited by the amount of cash you have. 

I can see I must leave personal emotion out of these types of decisions, though the general intent is to offer a better than average value to my tenants to attract and retain quality people.Rent increases are nice, but not loosing a month or two a year to turnover also adds up...

What ever you tell me I'll retain and go on by myself to learn much more from your basis before investing.

Another thing to think about when it comes to interest bearing accounts is that you must inform your tenants that the money will be in an interest bearing account and that you will retain all interest earned.

My goal was to retain the tenants by keeping rents lower than market, but still getting their rents closer to market so that I wasn't losing tons of income. 

What could you do with any cash out if you re-leverage for a longer period while retaining the properties?

My question is how I can have my name removed from the title so that I am not liable for the taxes or a lawsuit while still retaining my rights to 1/7th of any proceeds to the house when and if it is sold.