Quote from @Jeff Sanders: Personally coming from an agent/investor in CA, I always get a quote from a broker of mine and make sure I am knowledgeable with the fees/costs.

Looking for further knowledge and excited to be on the forum!

I am considering getting into this space (looking at some courses), but worried that its too late, and that deep local market knowledge/understanding of buyers/connection with developers etc is required to make this work, which only incumbent/long term investors will have and would be hard for a new entrant starting from scratch to catch-up...is my hypothesis valid in your opinion ?

They sound very knowledgeable and I am interested in jumping into the customized course they offer. 

Quote from @Henry Jay: Hello, me to real estate and look for knowledge in flipping and rental properties. 

Hotels are definitely not fans of STRs but it is regular people and safety officials that are pushing for these regulations. 

Hey Lenny,Love to see that you also got the Real Estate bug so youngI recommend a BRRRR/house-hack for your first oneBuy a place that you can live in with a low downpayment, fix it up, and then you will have the option to 1) Refinance and live in it2) Refinance and rent it out3) Sell and do it over again4) Dont refinance and continue to live in it5) Dont refinance and rent it outYou will have a ton of flexibility and the safety of knowing you have a place to livePlease reach out via DM if you have any questions moving forward.

Another cool thing about hard money lenders is they work like a safety net.

The deeper your market knowledge, the stronger your relationships with agents, contractors, and lenders, and the better your deals will get over time.

If you’re interested in investing here, I’d encourage you to speak with a knowledgeable local real estate professional or lender to get accurate guidance.