That makes a big difference in the answer to what Charles eloquently referenced regarding confidence in your ability to close. 

Go to BUILD YOUR TEAM at the top of the screen and look for local investors or meetups in your area.

At a high level, the system ingests raw documents from the recorder's offices, building permits, zoning permits, market data, and other auxiliary datasets.

Everyone will tell you it’s great to get started early, or you can just move after a year, but in the current environment in our region the rent your property will generate after you move out will likely be less than your mortgage, if you are tied to the area and feel confident you want to stay in whatever property you buy for 3-5 years go for it, if you want flexibility rent and throw that money into and index fund. 

.## Financing OptionsFor Hard Money and Private Lender financing, it's crucial to build relationships with local lenders.

After that you want to build the relationship.

Do you own the entire building and have other occupants complained of a problem? 

The lessons you learned the hard way in 2008 will be invaluable now, and it’s great that you’re aiming to stay small-scale and within your comfort zone of Sacramento, which gives you an advantage of knowledge in that market.Given your experience, I'd say start by focusing on three key areas to build confidence and minimize risks:Budget Control: Over-renovating was one of the big mistakes you mentioned.

If you want to build out a portfolio of multi-family rentals that cash flow to the point of not having a W2, that's one thing. 

You're better off focusing on specific markets, specific neighborhoods, analyzing numbers, and building an ideal buy [box].