I agree with @Jonathan Greene here that the first step is thinking through what to do with the primary residence - you might try this tool that I built a few months ago to analyze whether you should keep or sell the primary residence! 

The market research and development can be intensive, but there’s growing demand in many areas, especially near popular natural destinations.Best of luck! 

No jazzy tools, BS booklets, word-salad info whatever's, just BE OF SERVICE. 

I do a know a few CA investors that buy all OOS (Texas is still a popular place to invest) but the majority of investors I've talked to at meet ups and friends and family still own in CA.

It’s all about positioning yourself for long-term gains, and with your current knowledge and tools, you’re in a great spot to make that happen!

Seconding what @Jonathan Greene said, you have a powerful tool for house hacking when you get back.

Giving the recurring issues with labor quality and scarcity, would you say automation tools like construction 3d printing or other tech are worth exploring?

BP has various tools to help you analyze your deals (rentals, flips, wholesale, etc). : https://www.biggerpockets.com/investment-calculators7.

Helpful BRRRR Tips:To manage a remote BRRRR successfully, start by building a reliable local team and using project management tools like Trello to track progress.

You won't be able to get access to the tools we use, though.