Wondering if any experienced landlords/ property managers out there have figured out how to "trim the fat" off their rental property expenses & or time allotted to them?

This is only my opinion, but even with going a little over budget and into my contingency funds, my answer to that GC would be a big, fat NO.

The big, fat, easy wins are getting harder to find but as a real estate investor, I am in it for the long haul.

(Here in California is fat outside of our price range).Our search has brought us into the New Orleans area; multifamily properties are available and reasonably priced.Beyond being mindful of the flood zones, is there any additional considerations to investing in this area specifically if the numbers make sense?

Lots of fat and middlemen getting that way. 

You don't want a fat HOA; it's money down the drain and doesn't build equity OR help with leverage.

Office space is going to be fat that gets trimmed to help keep companies afloat.

This means you will have to do a bit of networking and possibly direct mail to get a big fat Cash Buyer's list. 

I believe the answer would be a big fat NO.  

I use this app to record what I eat throughout the day to make sure the amount of protein, carbs, and fat are in proportionate amounts.