As you know, this part of CA is nothing like what most people associate CA with.

I'm based in WI and there are several people from NY investing here, some successful and some not---the common thread I see from the ones that are not is that they relied on someone else for information instead of investigating, VERIFYING and doing their own due diligence. 

When I see newer people expecting to find full cash out deals from out of state sourced from a wholesaler or agent I know they are setting themselves up to fail 99.5% of the time.

For context, this would be for a property I already own.I understand this may be a bit unconventional and people will likely recommend I get a proper quote and have the contractor do a full walkthrough.

You will get tons of people saying their market is the best.

You're definitely in the right place to learn and connect with people. 

This is a great place to connect with people so take advantage of all the great resources.

I got caught and lost my money and more and more people are also reporting similar circumstances. 

Falling out of compliance can lead to penalties, lawsuits, and even damage to your reputation as a landlord.

That area lost most of its industry decades ago and the people went with it.