I created lists, searched virtual markets and was able to skip trace all of these for free...or so I thought.

I will provide some thoughts on the San Diego purchase- virtually all high LTV mls purchases since rates started to hike have negative cash flow at purchase- historically great appreciation- historically great rent growth but recently flattening- prop 13 is great benefit for long holds- laws keep getting less LL friendly.

Virtually everyone lives somewhere especially true for those that pay taxes (in CA property and income tax).  

Due to increased rates i did not refi so i did not get opportunity to see how an appraiser valued the half bathroom but the comps with same bathroom count had crazy valuation for the additional half bathroom.Taking under utilized space like a work area to add a br where the added br does not put you above the normal for the area can add value.Similar if a neighborhood is virtually all 3 br and 4 br properties and you find a 2 BR, it could be a value add to add the bedroom via new construction.  

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In fact i will speculate the opposite as i believe virtually any investor who has held investment RE since the great recession highly values appreciation.

I am not acting in an agents role as I am providing the service to help the owners sell their assets, while enabling the buyer to acquire cashflow positive deals that banks are not providing with current rates.

Virtual staging would help, pictures of the parking lot would help as well.

He had performed virtually no underwriting.  

Rents will rise much at a much faster rate, so the challenge of finding cash flow (enabling more investors to become "capable") will gradually recede as SFR cap rates gradually expand - it will be a process, not an event - over the next few years.