Just be the absolute best host you can be for the first year -- communicate clearly and quickly, make sure cleaning is top-notch, make sure all amenities work (hot tub is hot, TV remotes have batteries, etc. etc.)

Winter's are cold and summers are hot in northern Cali. 

Timing is key—catch a hot market or a great 1031 exchange opportunity.

Negative $700/month doesn't put a dent into our household free cash flow and that allows us to buy properties that appreciate rather than cash flow. 

Do you screen all adults in the household or just the person paying the rent? 

The target customers are the unbanked and underbanked population, which is 30 million household in US.

How much is your household income?

I'm sure most of us don't say our rentals come with a furnace and hot water tank, but they do and they are not to be removed.

I received immediate, good response to my marketing on Zillow, Trulia, and Hot Pads.

These two states have been super hot over that last few years when it comes to both single family and 2-4 unit multi=family rentals.