Well because foreclosures, tax liens, job losses, all these people in these kinds of circumstances, do not want to sell their house, they want to keep their house. 

•Challenges & Opportunities: What are some common challenges that investors face in this market, and are there any unique opportunities right now?

I look forward to learning as I go, but I'd also love to hear your advice and common mistakes to avoid.

Both of the prior answers are kind of right but not really.The best wholetail is not just a quick turn.

This comes with time and experience but a book that helped me tremendously (not really a sales book, though) was "Boundaries" by Henry Cloud.The most common challenges for RE Agents early relate to generating leads and focusing on income producing activity.I would consider spending 50-75% of your side-hustle time on income generating activities. 

We also had a baffle get jammed and when we pumped the tank found all kinds of things. 

You are kind of doing it too, with that post.

Kindly provide your input what would be the best place in the CA Bay Area to reposition my equity up to 700k?

While some may prefer a single treatment, opting for an annual plan with quarterly visits often pays off, especially if termites are common in your area.

What Kind of loans should I seek?