Best of luck on your journey, the DMV in my opinion is still one of the strongest markets in the US to get started in.  

Quote from @Bud Meacham: The market is very competative in California.

I'm a local realtor and would love to connect and chat about the local market.

Generally I'm seeing anywhere from $25 - $40/Sf in TIA in different markets around the country. 

Logan county has the highest price per square foot new build in our market right now almost $400 per square foot.

I have a feeling my entire local market is going to be the same outlook to make their over value seem reasonable to themselves..Do you or they, control the future?

The key for me wasn't to invest in the 'best place' but to know a market so well that a deal jumps off the page when it appears.

Even if you get a great deal that is 20% below market, appraisers will typically be anchored by the last sale price and you may be stuck not being able to pull out as much cash as you need to pay off the HELOC.

I used to think that cold calling was the only way to get off-market deals.

Quote from @Vikas Jain: Yes, I have already seen the buy-in, im less concerned about that part of it, but just want to make sure its legitimate (plenty of opportunities where buyin is high but it doesn't always mean the product is good, just been burned in the past by others so trying to do better due diligence this time around)Their success rate, as of now, is 100 percent.