how can you tell if it's generally a good or bad time to buy?

[Rachel Liu]

new to bigger pockets, so far has been a great educational resource. looking to do a first time investment purchase in a few areas. i know this question varies based on location, type, etc. but im looking to do single family rental investment.

i hear its a "bad" time to buy right now in california and browsing the internet (mostly reddit), but what are the indicators of this?