However, I know that I do not want all my income to be reliant on my day job and live to watch my retirement account grow.I am probably doing better than a lot of people my age but am eager to take the correct steps to build a real estate portfolio.

@Dennis Boettjer - everyone's comments above are correct. 

But, you get the piece of mind knowing it’s likely done correctly.

My understanding of CA LLC's is that they are very high cost to start and maintain. 

It's relatively easy to install and maintain. 

@Josie Sandoval, correct, this is very common.

Look for property for sale with the correct zoning or that you can get a variance4.  

You are probably correct.

Yes, wholesaling is tough to break into and to do it correctly is to have a good foundation of knowledge on the subject. 

You may want to think about working with a realtor or a really good attorney to make sure you are set up correctly to start off in the best possible situation.