Or, if you know you want to keep your money in real estate, and you've been renting it out for a year or more (not the technical IRS rule, but sort the rule of thumb everyone uses), you could use a 1031 exchange to roll the value of the property into new investment properties.

When he texted the "owner" again, they started to get pushy when he said he'd need to see the inside first and would only exchange cash for keys in person. 

Now I am working on a 1031 tax exchange to bring in another 2000 a month.

And US companies owned by a foreign individual or foreign entity is tricky especially when applying for a loan.

The rules for the gift will depend on the loan you are getting.The other option would be to partner with someone that will split profits in exchange for the down payment contribution.If you are really talking about true cosmetic issues (paint and minor updating), then you might be able to get a conventional loan.However, if this is a flood damaged home, that will most likely not happen.Flood damaged properties have several things to consider:If the house was flooded (versus wind damage to roof or exterior siding), there is a high risk of mold damage, electrical damage, HVAC damage, HVAC duct work mold issues, and hidden surprises depending on the level of flooding.On a related note, if it's in a FEMA flood zone, it will require flood insurance.

I'll be adding another credit line here in a month or two when I ask AMEX to transfer my acct from Australia to the US (they have a service where they use your credit in a foreign country to help your application in the US).Just wanted to thank all those who helped me by replying to my original post :)

Those go for 4 to 5 caps and usually foreign buyers purchase all cash as they want to get money out of their country and only get there maybe 1 to 2 percent to a negative return.If you are buying a Mcdonald's then it is not a vacant building.You would have to tell me your situation to expand further.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/1031-exchange-a-cheri...A much-loved tax advantage in the commercial real-estate industry is on the chopping block even as chances dim for the passage of a broad federal tax overhaul this year.Why?

A bird dog looks for motivated sellers or undervalued properties with the intention of passing the deal on to a real estate investor in exchange for a percentage or fee.

Language may be barrier.Understanding the local laws may take timeTime differences may be a difficultyTaxes may be more difficult(Do you have to file a tax return in the foreign country?)