My advice to you would be to look for off market properties.If you're not sure how to do that there is plenty of free info on this website just go to BP's search bar and search "How do I find off market properties" plenty of free info to get you started. 

We got lucky in 2010 and bought a much larger home in Diamond Bar and are renting out the town home in Foothill. 

No repairs needed except for a sink at the wet bar. 

I will be in the bar for a little bit after the meet up, let's talk then.  

And it's a really fun place to hang - fantastic restaurants, bars and nightlife.  

I would probably need to add 1 more room in the house (interior, no sqft add), add/change doors, bathrooms, ramps, handle bars, etc. that I think can easily run me 10K or so. 

It's about 8 blocks from campus and 2-3 from some popular bars.  

And that only makes the sale voidable they have to bring a legal action to establish that.. ( ask me how I know that pearl LOL)So there you go two for one a little side bar on Mello Roos and how tax sales work in CA.lastly it is quite rare for a improved property to go to sale in CA.. 99% is land and odds and ends at that.. non buildable strips land that does not perc  etc etc.

I'm a recent (non real-estate) law school graduate taking the bar at the end of the month.

Well save that topic for another thread 1099 is only for bar tenders and waitresses.