I've been reminding him for years, with no results, and had pretty much given up, but still try every once in a while.  

So go and find your match and stick to it. 

You'll get an idea of how much they know and if they're a good match.

Failure to do so may result in a loss of coverage.

Likely any market in the U.S. with good schools is not going to have much opportunity for great ROI at the moment due to an influx of homebuyers and the resulting inflation in home values.

My previous and next employer do a 401k with a 6% match.

Both of these will produce some results for you. 

The general rule is that an individual is an independent contractor if the payer has the right to control or direct only the result of the work and not what will be done and how it will be done.Since I'll be investing remotely I'll be requiring someone to help me out in the "bird dog" activity of finding properties through driving for dollars.

You can always give the tenant the right to match your best offer, but be sure that they get pre-qualified for a home loan so you don't waste time with them if they can't qualify.

Also, connect with a local real estate agent at some point, they can help you find some properties that match your needs. and get them to connect you to a local lender when the time is right.