Legitimate, in this case, means that the entity is part of an overall business investment strategy whereby you have a business plan, tax returns, and the funds you seek are for further business expansion.If, however, the LLC is a stand alone entity, is not profitable, or is not legitimate, then your probably better off putting into your personal name and securing funding that way, or still talking to local or regional banks to see if they have any loan programs available where you might be able to secure financing.

I've seen landlords live in blissful ignorance for 5-10 years due to dumb luck, then their world comes crashing down and they lose everything.I have a book, there are some in the BP bookstore, or you can check out one of my personal favorites, Every Landlord's Legal Guide by NOLO.

If its a volunteer fire company you may be able to donate the house to them for the purpose of training and get a tax deduction .

And don’t skip the due diligence—inspect everything and plan for unexpected costs.Take it one step at a time, and you’ll do great.

Evacuations due to wildfires are not uncommon in our area of California. 

If you were financing a property that netted $300 after principle, interest, taxes, and insurance (PITI), and say your rent was $1,200 a month.

Note if monthly rent is 0.5% purchase ratio, the property tax will be ~20% of the rent.  

It’s a tax office, so I suspect they might be waiting to see how their business performs and the impact of technology before deciding.Thanks in advance for any advice or insights you can offer!

This is relevant for multiple reasons 1) appreciation is where the real wealth is generated in RE 2) real estate has tax advantages over cash flow 3) in CA property tax increase is capped.  

Also what does the city say is the assessed value of the property on your taxes (it will be different than the appraised value, but should give you an idea).