So moving for work exempts me from being locked into living at the house for a full year, but I assume I would still need to get out the FHA Loan to get another one (awaiting my broker to call me back). 

Identifying lenders, pre-approval, starting to walk properties are part of my plan but I'm thinking of starting after I complete the 90 Day Challenge to better familiarize myself with analyzing deals as part of my learning process.If there are better ways to plan or different ways I should think about this I'm all ears!

At what point is it legal for me to change the locks and start cleaning the place up so I can start to recoup my losses.

Those lock boxes are so simple to break to get the combination.

Then they lock up after, and report back to us.If that trusted person is not a licensed real estate professional, they should inform the prospects to contact you, the owner, with any additional questions, and how the application process/screening works--they are not there to answer questions, only to open the door.Hope this works for you as well as it works for us!

send me a PM I'll send you my number and talk your ear off about everything you need to know. 

Unfortunately, you've locked yourself into a longer term lease.

Hi Does anyone one know of a key pad or door lock to for this situation to allow tenants to let themselves? 

If we're close we'll usually write an LOI quickly to lock the property up but if we're way far off I will generally ask the seller/agent (we try to negotiate direct to seller as much as possible and stay away from listed properties), if it even makes sense to write it up. 

California has a wacky law where assessed value for property taxes can only increase at a very limited rate (~1%) so most people are locked into property tax rates much lower than their current home values, so this favors purchasing rather than waiting.$4300/month is at the high-end of affordability for me, so seems like the only way I'll be able to purchase a home of the quality/location I want is to liquidate (at least some portion of) my real estate portfolio.