Agents may also have macro data on historical data, local median sale prices, absorption rate, etc to help with your analyses and projections.Networking/build a team: Attend local meetups, virtual meetups and stay active on forums like this.A lot of this will be done in front of a PC unfortunately but if you cut out the noise, you'll be able to maximize your time.Lastly, something that has helped me tremendously with respect to focus and improving efficiency is the pommodor technique. 

If you're looking to stay in state those areas you mentioned seem solid, and Sacramento as well. 

The lower level is undergoing a significant build-out to house the third location of Arbol Eatery, a grab-and-go restaurant renowned for its fresh, flavorful offerings.

The lower level is undergoing a significant build-out to house the third location of Arbol Eatery, a grab-and-go restaurant renowned for its fresh, flavorful offerings.

The lower level is undergoing a significant build-out to house the third location of Arbol Eatery, a grab-and-go restaurant renowned for its fresh, flavorful offerings.

you simply start making the payments, and the mortgage stays in the seller's name.

So I am having to stay on top of them much more than I would like to in order to get the accounting sorted out.

It also gives the people you stay with reporting to the credit bureaus when they make their payment on time as a perk. 

Stay patient and persistent—it may take time to find the right property.

Yes, the lease would stay in place regardless of who is managing the property.