I can also count on 1 hand the number of tiny home designs I've seen that don't look like repurposed tough sheds and/or have awkward dimensions.

Might be tough if your south of Chagrin blvd but everywhere else in that zip is good.

Multifamily properties are tough to sell in Los Angeles.

I’m a rookie investor and I househacked my first deal and went through the tough times with self managing but it’s the education I feel is necessary for the future deals.

Finding multi family off market is tough, you will be competing against people who have way more experience and means to find them. 

So all things considered, the 5% and 6% returns don't sound terrible to me, especially given the costs of selling and where the market is in general (high prices and relatively high interest rates).The 1.5% on the other hand is pretty tough to swallow.

So I have gained so much from just participating at a fairly low level for a few years, but the people I've met and things I've learned have proved invaluable. 

sometimes i see people "overpay" - IE, pay more than I would - but, maybe they know something I don't, or have a skill I don't.and while I think the role of institutional investors has been largely overstated, they are definitely still one important factor, especially in certain markets.i think the tougher, riskier strategies still work, but i don't recommend those to beginners... because they are tough and risky.

Okay, that IS a really tough job, I can see that draining one emotionally. 

If you can find local deals (within 2 hours of where you live) that make sense, they can be gold mines. 2 hours seems to be the max that most people would drive if you HAD to do your own showings or move-in prep and local management proves unreliable.