Data simplified is a reflection of human behavior and the external factors that are influencing it.

Did this influence your decision to rent to this person?? 

Friends, family members, co-workers (current and past), neighbors, and anyone else in your sphere of influence from social and spiritual gatherings.2.

In my first year I was able to leverage my Sphere of Influence to close 4 transactions, 2 on the buyers and 2 on the sellers side.

Among the factors that influenced the court's decision were the limitations on the co-owners' ability to sell, lease, or encumber either the co-ownership interest or the underlying property, and the manager's effective participation in both profits (through the remarketing fee) and losses (through the advances).

Yet "experts" "influencers" and RE agents that I have heard from have said to steer clear of CA for investment properties.

Buy the book "how to win friends and influence people" https://www.amazon.com/How-Win...   

A few things that come to mind regarding influencing the seller - what is it costing them to keep these deals?

Not just some want to be "influencer" who fakes it until they make it.   

I can understand the % of HOA rentals influencing but have not heard of this authority level before over loan type.