I don't care a lick what someone that isn't investing their actual cash thinks I should do with mine.If I had $x to invest and my goal was to grow a multifamily 'empire', I wouldn't start in Austin.  

I am specifically looking at the Inland Empire area.

If you're looking in Inland Empire, the state rent control will apply to most pre 2006 multifamily builds.

In my opinion, the first thing you'll want to is to decide what it is you want from real estate (a job, passive income, build an empire, etc.). 

I realize that networking and local research are important, I'm looking for something empirical I can use to plan where to multifamily rentals.

Hi Howard,I am a Realtor, Investor and mentor for a Real Estate Investment Club here in the Inland Empire .

Stay safe and keep building those empires! 

Just empirically from reading BP the last few years, most first-time investors seem to equate "BRRR" with buying a "free house".

Living here and staying narrow focused on LI rentals kept me from having a rental empire I should have started looking out of state earlier on.

@Courtney MillerHere are my favorite books:Multifamily Millions by Dave LindahlThe ABCs of Real Estate Investing by Ken McElroyThe Complete Guide to Buying and Selling Apartment Buildings by Steve BergesCommercial Real Estate Investing by Dolf De RoosTrump: The Best Real Estate Advice I Ever Received by Donald TrumpTax Free Wealth by Tom WheelwrightCommercial Real Estate 101: How Small Investors Can Get Started and Make It Big by David LindahlRaising Private Capital: Building Your Real Estate Empire Using Other People’s Money by Matt FairclothThe Definitive Guide to Apartment Marketing by Josh GrilloInvesting in Apartment Building by Matthew MartinezCrushing It in Apartments and Commercial Real Estate by Brian H MurrayThe 7 Secrets to Successful Apartment Leasing by Eric Cumley2 Years to a Million in Real Estate by Matthew MartinezBurn Zones: Playing Life’s Bad Hands by Jorge NewberyCommercial Mortgages 101: Everything You Need to Know to Create a Winning Loan Request by Michael ReinhardIt’s a Whole New Business!