The returns may not be equal on paper, but once you actually purchase the property, you will quickly realize that it was not worth buying a duplex in a state/city that is far and foreign from you. 

The dollars value stands in most part from it's standing as world reserve currency, remove that standing and the true next value is only on domestic utilization which we produce and export near to nothing anymore, intensely dependent on imports, that sets a value of somewhere around $0.04 on the dollar.

I want to be able to travel, inbed myself in some foreign cultures... a deeper look than tourism. 

Foreign investment has shifted to other places already.

I don't want to swing a hammer or plunge a toilet and the whole idea of collecting rent  or taking folks to court when I could be putting a loan together for an investor, closing and getting paid is completely foreign to me.Read "Strength's Finder" by the Gallup organization and it may give you direction of where your strength's lie.Best of luckStephanie

A combination of foreign cash investors and the growth of things like biggerpockets have increased the demand artificially.

There's a reason foreign investment is always on the coasts.   

Foreign investors are generally limited to purchasing condos and the like, and aren't allowed to purchase any land unless citizenship is obtained. 

Your Australian account will also need to be familiar with foreign income for your Australian tax return. 

It'd be nice to offer west coast and foreign investors access to these kinds of markets, professionally managed and with as much risk mitigation as possible.