Beginner House Hack: Finding a Market & Realtor

[Chris Valencia]

Hi, 

I recently had the opportunity to meet a great brokerage through the Forums (OneBrokerage) and just completed my pre-approval. I'm now moving into selecting my market & finding a realtor. 

I am looking to house hack my first property, and my buy box criteria are below: 

Buy Box #1: CA
SFR w/ ADU or Duplex (Multi-Family)
Class B, C Areas
Price Range: Under $620K 
Light Rehab or Somewhat Turnkey 

Areas I'm considering:
Long Beach, Seal Beach, Anaheim, Inglewood
San Diego County  

Close Proximity to Hospitals, Ability to rent 2nd Unit to Travel Nurses, MTR 

1. What are the best questions to ask realtors as I begin my vetting process? 

2. What are the best sites/apps that show recent sales in my target areas? 

3. Any advice as I begin my journey? 

I know I've been told that my areas (CA) are going to be hard to find availability at my price point. However, I'm hoping that I can find a good deal to keep me relatively close to my family who reside in LA (just became an Uncle for the 1st time). I'm hopeful that through my heavy research and network, I can land a deal that can begin my real estate journey.  

- Appreciate you All