@Chris Villegas The original tenant is responsible for any action that takes place in your property.

I also informed the tenant that the past due balance needs to be paid immediately or we would take legal actions per lease agreement. 

Congrats on taking action to get into the game.

if so,  does that mean you can't obtain quiet title action within a year, and basically the property will be sitting there untouched during this one year period?  

Since you can't escape CA LLC registration, if the property is based here, and if you are a resident here, may make sense just to form a CA LLC and simplify your life and your costs.Most likely the state where the property is located is where lawsuits would be brought if they are something for personal injury like a trip and fall or something of that nature because the “cause of action” arose in that state.

Good news is that he historically has paid on time and when late, paid the prior months + the penalty.

An arrest was eventually made a few years later: https://www.fdle.state.fl.us/News/2022/May/FDLE-makes-arrest...   

If you try to buy for cash flow in 3-5 years while still getting a property you like, you're going to go into analysis paralysis and will likely find yourself second guessing every property to the point where you won't be able to take action on anything.In my opinion, the Denver market simply cannot continue on as it has been.  

I am trying to soak up as much information as I can so I can put it to action this spring lol!

Interesting perspective and you are entitled to your opinion.I think most people might disagree with that and perhaps we'll see in November.To not take responsibility for our actions is the name of the game in this day and age.