But violent crime generally only happens in the worst.If you decide to come to Sacramento, this map I created with all the neighborhoods and their ratings will be a HUGE shortcut for your learning curve:https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/621/topics/444774-sacramento-neighborhood-map-and-ratings----finallyUltimately, it's going to come down to the numbers on all the properties you look at and what kind of returns they offer.But beware looking in the worse neighborhoods... they have high cap rates and on paper they look like an amazing deal... until you find out that collecting rent is a challenge and the tenants destroy your properties so you're left with a fat renovation bill every time someone moves out.If you have any more questions just ask and we'll help you get pointed in the right direction :-)

Can't take shortcuts.

I still look myself though (no shortcuts).

@Gina Klein not sure if there is really a short cut. 

A wise investor will not try to get rich quick with shortcuts.

There is no shortcut.

I don't condone shortcuts but I do know a few people who waited until after that first deal because they started with no money. 

That could be the case, but if you see real estate as a long-term investment where the real payoff is holding the property for ten or more years, then trying to take a shortcut to shave a few dollars here or there is counterproductive.

There are no shortcuts.

Not sure about your experience with flips, but my buyers almost always were difficult to deal with, hated that I was making money, had an image in their head that I took shortcuts like on TV..etc.