When more buyers come to the market and put in more offers it drives up bids/offers.

obviously that can get pricey and is why joining a team or established brokerage can be so helpful.I was lucky enough to have a family connection that is an established boutique commercial broker, and he was in his own words "drowning" and needed help. 

You fixed a lot of things and you are heading in the right direction! 

Quote from @Emmanuel Ola: On top of what Sasha mentioned, I would tap into friends and family.

Conventional wisdom says that DSCR should be more risky and as a result, more expensive than conventional loans.

I’d also prioritize getting pre-approved, securing financing, and starting small to build experience and momentum.Good luck!

go to the courthouse steps and attend a few auctions.

In my limited experience with a similar service, they will send you leads and even make offers but you still need to do your due diligence and make sure it's a profitable deal for you.

I'm 3+ hours away and would hire a management company to take care of the property.

As far as I know, they do not specifically say that CA will not allow this loophole, and they do not specifically say that they will.