We all have skills, dreams, goals, and personality types that bring distinct advantages to your ability to be a success.

Both...maybe you have the ability to purchase a simple property near the college and househack with other students.

Now, having said all that, house hacking isn't necessarily easy (if it were, everyone would do it)...it's just easier than the more advanced strategies...House hacking still takes significant due diligence, skill in analyzing the market and the property, time and effort to learn about tenant screening and property management, the ability to anticipate appreciation/depreciation trends, etc., etc., etc....and even with lots of skill and preparation, things will still go wrong (vacancy, plumbing leaks, bad tenants, etc.)

I understand how balances and minimum payments may affect the ability to pay rent but what does providing account numbers do for the landlord? 

It has everything you need from free online videos and educational courses to having the ability to post blogs and connect with other investors, the possibilities are endless! 

If that's so then you may look at your ability to analyze/monitor/manage a property from overseas and decide to hold or sell independent of tax consequences.

The thing I like about real estate is that I have the ability to directly manage the asset.....which lowers the risk vs other investments. 

I like the liquidity, control, tax deferral, and the ability to borrow for such things as real estate. 

They position themselves in the information flow, absorb information from as many sources as possible, and are on a never-ending search for new ways to improve themselves, their business, and their ability to provide a greater level of service to their customers and value to other fellow human beings. 

@Andrew Johnson  that was my first thought check CCR's and HOA for ability to rent .. monthly is usually OK but that high end of property may preclude it altogether.. but being the desert maybe not.. but something to defiantly check out.. prior to launch.. we see that on BP from time to time.Hey I just bought this house now I can rent it LOL..