I'm hoping things move a little more quickly once things go vertical as I heard getting slab poured is the longest wait but I'm assuming there is a labor/material shortage in general in the area so wasn't sure of people's timelines once slab has been poured?

I can’t imagine the returns you would have to generate. 22% federal tax, plus 8% state tax, plus 10% penalty.

There's a reason that people try to buy properties off-market and that is because you can find sellers who care more about terms than maximizing returns.So start with a conversation: you already presumably have some rapport since it's your landlord and you've spoken before.

What would be the worst case scenario you're imagining?

I have heard a lot of complaints about evergreen from other people lately.

Very keen on meeting like minded REI people. 

But I guess to answer your question, I find people who are going to foreclosure.

Third-party referrals work since few people do any due diligence. 

California has seen huge uptick in home insurance, I'd imagine Santa Cruz has a high fire insurance

What happens in a market "crash" when people are loosing there homes?