We eventually sold the home to a great family that just needed a little help and believe we structured a win-win deal.

@Hugh Jameson while anything is possible, it is simply  not practical to expect to get traditional financing on an auction property. yes hard money can be refinanced out. 

@Jordan MoorheadIf you are simply looking to make pretax contributions and solely invest in equities, then a big box company like Fidelity Investments or Schwab may be your best bet. 

You also need to be aware that custodians are passive in nature and simply process transactions at your direction.

If I were going to have someone else manage them B or C class (think blue collar, and maybe lower blue collar) would be fine.What I would suggest is make sure you get good enough deals where, if you decide in a year or two that this just isn't for you, you can sell the properties and not lose any money after all closing costs.As for books, honestly I find BP and simply networking with local investors more helpful. 

If homes are selling for no less than $300,000 (simply by looking at the MLS, more research is definitely needed) and rent wouldn’t exceed $2000, that’s not even close to the 1%.

In my opinion, the answer is off base.I've routinely seen agents simply release the Buyer from their Buyer-Broker agreement is they were unhappy. 

That will be a win-win for both of you. 

There has been talk of brick and mortar properties being taken over by online.For most retailers this is simply not true.

If you value liquidity and want to accelerate your investment portfolio and net worth then continue to live as simply as possible and keep investing.