In the worst case, the property is offloaded as quickly as possible, pay off LOC and take whatever profit there is and go to the next investment.

What would be a reasonable return you can promise to an investor?

I’ve seen deals like this before where a seller needed quick cash but was still emotionally tied to the place.

Do you have the financial strength to hold/carry these lots if they don't sell quickly? 

You’ll want to get really familiar with local zoning laws, short-term rental rules, and landlord-tenant laws as they vary by town if you plan on going the STR route.Focus on Cash Flow Early On: You might be tempted to go for something that appreciates quickly, but in the early stages, it’s important to find properties that bring in cash flow.

If they are professional, they can explain this quickly and easily.

I already had my own business, some cash, lines of credit and a solid contractor as a partner which is how I have grown my portfolio so aggressively over the past few years.Unfortunately, $8k is not going to get you very far despite the promises of no money down investing.

This dealflow is then supplemented with deals from the broker channel.The broker channel will get leads in the door quickly, but they are usually of questionable quality and loyalty.

And you don't have Schedule C to deduct the business expense.This might have changed if your RE portfolio was run like a business and/or you have a partnership; the partnership would then deduct the travel expense as an ordinary business expense.As I said, it gets complicated quickly.

Owning just a few typical properties in California turns you into a multimillionaire very quickly.