Another downside is you loose on the advantages, of the Federal Tax Code, by not closing in the name of a LLC (you can elect to have a LLC taxed, as a S Corporation which is a whole other conversation).If you want to close in the name of a LLC, Mortgage Lenders will offer you Commercial Loan Terms (25-30% down, a 15-25 year amortization, and a ballon due in 5-7 years).

Technically it would be best to get a C Corporate or S Corp. to flip properties and since you are considered a dealer if you do several properties a year and this could have negative tax consequences in an LLC.

The question is do I rent to students or corporate?

@Vidit Maini Starting your business as an LLC taxed as a C corporation offers flexibility but involves double taxation unless you elect S corp status, allowing profits to pass through to your personal return.For tax savings, deduct startup costs, track business mileage or vehicle expenses, and consider a home office deduction.

I call them in-between because they are conferences, so not like your local meetups, but they are not truly "industry" conferences like NMHC, where you will meet primarily career, corporate multi-family people.Bigger Pockets Conference and Best Ever Conference are two that likely would cater to people more in your position.  

My education background is in computer science, mathematics and some corporate finance, as well as have some internship experience in the quantitative finance space.

To be honest, I´m in the Maintenance & Construction for corporate businesses for some US companies in Mexico and we do some Real Estate down here also, but it´s way much different than the US, so I have much to learn from a lot of people around here and as @Julio Gonzalez, I think this is pretty much the right pad and place to start and to break my fears to start all over again from scratchAlso, I´ld like to hear more from @Justin Brickman why he voted for his city, pros and cons, it will help to read from a local...As I said before, thank you all guys for taking the time to write in this post and share some experienceDo you plan to owner occupy. $40k will not get you a non owner occupied San Diego property unless you find some unlikely alternate financing.

I like markets with diverse job drivers, and it is always helpful to have major corporations locally. 

Despenas LLC aka SDIRA Wealth aka Modern Day Living Real Estate LLC are all scam companies that inflate housing prices in the neighborhood only to sell eviction-prone extremely damaged homes with no intent to perform the agreed-upon inspection repairs and send you through multiple corporate hoops after purchase only to completely ignore you immediately after the sale.

But since that time I left my corporate job, moved states, my daughter was born and is now 6 months old, and I began investing in a new city.