In one of the cities I work you can actually go thru the FOI requests and often pull the excel link to lists already created for others. 

I’ve been driving for dollars in hoping to do some direct mail here soon to possibly find a deal that way where I can use my HELOC only for the purchase and still have some of it leftover for repairs.

Not trying to sway anyone either way.Also not sure about the specific transaction you are talking about, but if you saw it on YouTube it is likely just a marketing move to drive attention and traffic to his work (which seems to have worked here!). 

While opinions may vary, I rely on data to help drive real estate decisions and planning.Key ConsiderationsEducational Attainment: 77008 boasts higher numbers of residents with bachelor's (12,241) and master's degrees (5,739) compared to 77063.Demographics: 77063 has a higher percentage of foreign-born residents (41.02%) which typically indicates a strong rental market and with 76.86% renter-occupied versus 32.60% in 77008.Economic Factors: Median income in 77008 is $140,609 with a low unemployment rate of 3.37%, whereas 77063 shows lower median income ($51,899), higher unemployment (9.99%), and more families below the poverty level (16.51%), which may indicate economic diversity but also potential rental payment risks​​.Age Distribution: 77008 has more middle-aged residents (35-54) [8970 compared to 6,115] and a slightly higher proportion of young adults (25-34) compared to 77063 but both are popular with younger adults suggesting strong rental markets equally exist.Housing Market: 77008 features a higher percentage of family households (52.39%) and married-couple families (44.77%), suggesting stability and potential for property appreciation.Digital Advertising Demand: Houston Heights apartments (77008): 50,000 average monthly searches.

Would it better as a California resident to invest my money in a low price area of California due to driving distance and proximity?

It was not a driving factor but was a deciding factor to be close to the space coast. 

That's not what's happening since costs are the driving force above all else. 

With a workforce that has more than doubled and a $6.5 billion funding round in the works, OpenAI is set to continue its rapid growth both in San Francisco and globally.This move underscores the AI sector’s role in driving office space demand and economic recovery in the city.

A big trick is to do cosmetic updates to max out the rents, for example most deals I sell we raise rents a good 30-100% after paint, new counters, new flooring, paint/replace cabinets.

Who's driving by the properties to see if lawns are maintained?