Dad died, mom received keys in the mail from tenant.  

As Bill mentioned, FINDING good notes is the key.

Going slow does work , education is the key.

Fill in the foundation below.Check out the Start Here page http://www.biggerpockets.com/starthere Check out BiggerPockets Ultimate Beginner's Guide - A fantastic free book that walks through many of the key topics of real estate investing.Locate and attend 3 different local REIA club meetings great place to meet people gather resources and info.

I walked in and said "boss give me the keys, I have this handled.

Buying in Alberta could be risky with the economy, extra due diligence would be key. 

I suspect they would want a key lock on the inside, or some positive locking feature. 

For me, the key to my success has been or is still, networking and gaining the trust of ACTIVE investors to work with, share information with.

John J.had said is also key learning and reading is great but if you're not taking action after getting some understanding then it's just a distraction that won't get you anywhere best of luck on your goals. 

For example, you set up key word alerts. http://www.biggerpockets.com/alerts