I know people who mention their spouse but aren't legal.     

I know that some areas aren’t as welcoming to short term rentals.

I believe collectively we should retain counsel and organize PR to show why we aren't to blame for affordable housing issues. 

I would also make sure there was a heat source and/or some sort of ventilation in the area you described, especially if you aren't moving away from the carpet right away.

Taxes aren't very high--only about $100/month.

Sure you can, theoretically, but you need at least some starting guidance to know which videos are giving you good info and which ones aren't.

The rental market is strong because there aren't enough quality homes for buyers to purchase and many who migrate here for work are relocated with short notice so they don't have a year to wait on building something new. 

If Indiana property tax rates are 1% of assessed value, aren't you looking at the difference of $640 per year and $1,000 per year, in the extreme?

If I want to scale my portfolio, traditional 20% down mortgages aren't going to be possible because of the property value here, so wanted to see what other popular methods are possible.2) How can a rookie investor get comfortable with buying out-of-state? 

They aren't allowed to profit from interest on the balance, for example, and they have to periodically audit the account, and refund you any surplus.