Hi Patrick, I have worked with many foreign national investors. 

The other 2/10 is a foreign object in the drain or someone really really flushed a massive **** ton of toilet paper."

Especially foreign investors..  

I don't have a lot of experience, but I do have the ability to exchange my time, so that could be a form a currency that benefits them. 

One thing to consider since you are a California resident investing is the compliance requirements for LLCs incorporated in California or operating as a foreign entity here - the rules here are different than most states.  

If a seller was informed in an honest way of what their home was worth like an agent does you would have no real need for these middle men who are just skimming equity.. however on the flip side .. if someone goes to the trouble to find a seller and offers cash NOT BS cash but real cash and closes then holds it for a period of time then they can sell for whatever they want.. just cant tell someone that there house is only worth 50k because they are clueless or old or foreigners etc.. close on it never touch it and sell it next day for 150k.. that is unconscionable profit taking. 

I also had a foreign investor who I was in touch with but after a while had to request we not spend any more time on the phone until he had something under contract because of the phone rates...... just realized Whatsapp would have been a great solution...

Central Banks have made it apparent (especially over the last month) that they will print our currency until they can't.

While I don’t suggest that the smaller type investor purchase and utilize “exotic” vehicles like foreign asset protection trusts, family limited partnerships with outside controls, or Byzantine or convoluted maze of ownership entities, the more simple strategies of using Series LLCs, self directed retirement plans, and paying off their home mortgage to the extent of the Federal BK homestead exemptions can insure that a plaintiff attorney never even considers going after them.  

There's a lot of  foreign Asian buyers over paying, bidding up prices.