I live in Sydney, but will travel over next month to hopefully see some properties, meet some realtors and just get a feel for the areas that I have narrowed down my search to.

I strongly recommend that you travel to the middle east and walk in those refugee camps and see the condition in which all that brain washing strive on.

The vast majority of them either don't understand the real estate business or won't tell you the truth about it (because the truth won't entice you to part with your hard-earned money).If a person was actually successful in real estate, why would they need to travel around pawning snake oil?

However, done properly, real estate (Residential not commercial which a whole different ball game) can generate cash almost immediately where a "regular business" takes time, effort and money to generate the clientele to provide sound income.Also, in the long run, real estate beat almost any other business (except medical and funeral homes) simply because everybody needs to live somewhere.

Later we traveled up to the The Marble Mountains.

If they cant travel for showing, do I ask to send keys or to call tenants to show me the property?

Look for cities that have a regional influence in medical, education, government and medium and large manufacturing entities.

Many people don't realize--with the right subpoena(s)--that one can even track various medical procedures, insurance claims, etc.

They do know what they're doing, are well connected and most likely targeted your house.They're like traveling hipsters!

If not, you may have to travel down to the courthouse and review the files yourself.Within the file you can find out the seller's name, property address and loan information.Just about everything you need to know can be found there.