I'm finding that this strategy is helping people, building repour with people, and continuing to keep business moving forward while some say it's hard and sit on the sideline to wait until there is mass movement.Appreciate your time and reply and good to hear that you're experiencing some similar action a couple hours' drive away. 

Are there any tools or strategies you swear by?

. - some strategies I've seen California investors use to lessen negative cash flow: house hacking, mid-term rentals (people temporarily displaced from home renovation or insurance reasons like fire), rent by the room, Short Term Rentals. - The ultimate house hack, live in the small ADU unit and rent out the two levels of the main house on AirBnb in San Francisco (I would have thought STRs are oversaturated in S.F. but it worked for them and they stay fully booked).

I love that these homes are in class A neighborhoods, I have seen this strategy work out for investors before but they were at least cashflow neutral. 

Lastly this is my first post here so apologies in advance if I posted this wrong or in the wrong place  House hacking is perhaps the best strategy to get started in real estate.

I’ve focused mainly on Florida but have also looked at options in Sacramento and other slightly more remote locations in CA.While I’m familiar with value-add strategies (ADUs, renovations or storage rentals), these seem like heavy lifts for modest gains.

Thanks (again) for sharing and being so forthcoming with your strategies!

Clearly define terms, including an exit strategy, buyout options, and how proceeds will be split.

Switch gears on your REI strategy.  

If you're tax bill is $6-8k (minus the 1031 fees), surely you can make that up by taking multiple swings over a longer period of time.OR pursue some sort of owner occupied strategy with that cash if you can swing a live in flip or house hack.