Any niche depends on your market, learn the market, understand what can be done, then learn to adapt strategies that solve the problem.All real estate sales is about solving a problem, it might be the turning of inventory of a 5 billion dollar portfolio for liquidity or it could be selling some little old ladies home with her moving to a nursing home.Most all the investor residential deals will be about solving some problem, real estate is a very social business, it's not like Ford moving units off an assembly line out to dealers, it's an in your face, personal problem solving transaction every time, an individual seller always has a goal and a problem getting there. 

Hi @Carling Stillman and welcome to bigger pockets, as a fellow Canadian I can tell you that everything you learn here can be adapted to the Canadian market as well.  

I am most certainly not immune to these, however I consider things that involve finances to be a rational endeavor, and so my autopilot social responses would not affect the bottom line of a business negotiation.

Also hoping to do other small work through my company,such as lawn mowing,snow removal,painting etc. to make some extra money to put towards investments.Myself and my Canadian girlfriend are currently in the process of her sponsoring me to get my Canadian permanent residency,which has been a long,very complicated process!

social media?  

 :)    Can you (is it economically sensible to)  rent out your current Canadian home when you go to Spain, or are you going to sell it? 

The problem is threefold: 1) the value of the properties is relatively low 2) these are rental properties and in Texas conventional refinancing for investment properties is difficult 3) we are Canadians without any American credit history.Any advice on where to go?

I like a single lease all tenants, co-signing and feel screening them via social media is probably your best defense against bad tenants.

The political/social climate is ridiculous today.

Subject to federal and local income taxes at your ordinary rate, but not subject to medicare or social security.