Quote from @Collin Hays: The real purpose of this thread was to increase my post count.  

Most investors I meet don’t realize you can buy the mortgage, not the property.
It’s a great way to build cash flow without maintenance or vacancies.
Anyone else investing in notes or thinking about getting started?...

Don't count the money in the bank until it is in the bank. 

It is possible to qualify even with an out-of-state property manager, but your wife will need to stay actively involved in decisions and track her hours carefully to show material participation.I actually just sent you a guide that breaks down exactly what counts toward material participation and how to document it properly, it should help clear things up.

People can't afford LA or Santa Clarita so naturally they would keep going.

How do people get around this ?

It is clear to me that counting on rental /cash flow is not wise at all, .  

Everyone talks about finding deals, networking, and learning how to analyze properties — and yes, those matter.But the most underrated skill I’ve seen in successful investors is simple:Paying attention to the details after closing.That means:Tracking every expense from day one.Separating business and personal accounts.Understanding what counts as a repair vs. an improvement.Keeping organized records so your CPA doesn’t have to guess.It’s not glamorous, but those details are what protect your profits.I’ve seen investors crush their first few deals… only to get hit with avoidable tax bills or missed deductions later because they didn’t have a system.You don’t need to know everything at once — just treat your portfolio like a real business early on.Deals make you money.Good systems let you keep it.

We always confirm the actual rent that MHA will approve for that zip code and bedroom count.4.

The mine count slipped to 94, the lowest in modern history.