Assuming all of the above question's answers are a "no", then go enjoy an adult beverage and relax.  

As a young adult in NYC I am looking to get my foot in the door in the real estate market and would like to know where to start.

In the sale of a REO in the mls, not on an auction site, yes owner occupants have an exclusive period in many/most cases.

Along my journey to financial freedom i came across real estate as an investment vehicle to supply my life dreams of being able to attend all my kids games and still have a cash flow able to provide my dream life and goals.Trought my adult life my girlfriend and her family have stood by and watched me  change for the better. loving and supporting us while fighting there own battle.

InvestaCrowd - https://www.investacrowd.com/ – real estate token investments; Single Family Rental (SFR) INVESTING Roofstock - https://www.roofstock.com/ - unique way to buy, manage and sell properties; online marketplace created exclusively for investing in leased single-family rental homes that generate cash flow day one.

@Caleb DrydenYou missed the window of being able to sell the home and avoid some or all of the gain via section 121 exclusion if you live in the home for 2 out of the last 5 years.

My question is, are there any rules preventing me from working exclusively with investors?

We run background checks on every adult tenant in our units. 

It eliminates the crutch that it's a service animal, which is fine...there's just a fee.As for the other adult, that's immediate eviction.Don't talk, don't text, serve.

California isn't the problem here.OP will want to consider his IRC Sec 121 exclusion, and all capitalization to basis over the years to mitigate the tax exposure.To everyone suggesting an IRC Sec 1031 exchange: You can't 1031 business rental real estate into a personal residence....