Hello @Jessica Skupien ,
I'm a Top Producing Realtor with BHG/Mason-McDuffie. I work with numerous investors & am an investor myself. I come to J. Martin's MeetUps as often as I can, so know some of the members. I am intimately familiar with the East Bay market (born & raised in Berkeley; Oakland homeowner since 1981; own rental ppty in Oakland & out of state).
My opinions & approach differ in some significant ways from David's (e.g. I do not recommend relying on Open Houses to seach the available inventory & my view of your Realtor's role is much, much broader, but I'd be more than happy to discuss in detail with you anytime. I do agree with him about getting preapproved right away, but your choice of lender is very, very important (read THIS).
I would also like to invite you to visit MY WEBSITE to learn more about me, conduct MLS-direct property search, & access a variety of valuable resources. Also, be sure to check out my glowing Zillow Reviews, too!
Let me know if I can be of further assistance.