One tip I'd give is to stay super organized with your paperwork and permits; it can get messy fast.

What are some simple CRMs that are recommended to stay organized when coming in contact with leads?

Feel free to inquire about their staff qualifications if it's a larger organization.2.

Which organization do you partner with?

I would 100% start attending some local meetups or builder groups.I have always found my partners pretty organically and given your skill set & background I think you bring a ton of value.Investing closer to home and having boots on the ground is always easier to get started.

Fourthly, buy "The California Landlord's Law Book" by an organization called NOLO.

I own a marketing company and a  Non-profit organization for assisting homeless veterans. 

Or go to a conference sponsored by one of the organizations that does them (PitBull has one in AZ coming up next week), if you want to learn about the lending world. 

One month deposit and written clarification of who will pay for damage and organize the repairs.

That said, I felt that the organization of the information could be better that in and of itself did not prevent me from being able to understand the information.