And Bruno ( the attorney was like an uncle to me) And he would always tell me the way to financial success in RE is to learn the courthouse..

Quote from @Austin Wolff: As someone who lived in Los Angeles and also needed to invest out of state, I've dedicated my career to market analysis and selection, and I personally think you've chosen pretty good markets.

Good luck and best wishes and post pictures of your success in a year or two.  

Are you having more success sourcing off-market properties, or do you focus on distressed opportunities through agents or wholesalers?

He's had two successful flips so far and after this third one he's looking to pay off the HELOC and roll the profits into his future flips.

if you want to see what is worth doing and what is not, look at what the successful investors or syndicators are doing.  

Has anyone had success with rental arbitrage recently?

Finally, the cost of living is relatively low which makes maintenance costs lower for the labor.To Your Success!

And IMO that has been decades in the making.I saw a recent survey of 4000 Gen Z and they said thay would need to earn 270k to feel financially successful.

From my experience, success in real estate investing starts with clearly defining your goals and continuously educating yourself through podcasts, books, forums, and courses.